Caught In Between
by WhatTheF-ckHaveYouDoneLately
Summary: Two years after leaving the ARC, Jenny returns, and soon finds herself yet again working for Lester. But everything is thrown into chaos when she begins developing feelings for both him and her co-worker, Danny Quinn. Jenny/Lester/Danny triangle.
1. Haven't Forgotten My Way Home

*****Spoilers for episodes 3 and 5 of season three*****

"_May have lost my way now, haven't forgotten my way home." ~_Lifehouse

**Jenny's P.O.V.**

I walked into the ARC for the first time in two years, feeling my pulse pick up as I was surrounded by the familiarity of it all. After two years of staying away, of rebuilding my life, I had finally decided to come back and see the place I had once called home.

After leaving the ARC, I had become a much more free, easygoing woman than the cold, manipulative one that had walked out of this same building two years. I wasn't ever an evil, plotting woman like Helen Cutter, but I'd been in the government, meaning I had to maintain a cool, controlled exterior. I had managed to mostly block out the memories of my former team, but now all of those memories forced themselves painfully to the surface.

God, how I had missed them all. Connor, the sweet and easygoing Connor. Abby, so loyal and so crazy about Connor, although she didn't seem to realize it or had just ignored it. Sarah, so smart and so determined when it came to history. Even Captain Becker, so fiercely protective of his team, so willing to make sacrifices for them.

Soon, painful memories of those people gave way to memories of even more painful ones. Memories of the people I'd been closer to. Nick, who died not knowing just how much I cared about him. Lester, who was almost too similar to me for comfort. But undoubtedly smart, and even though he pretended not to care about his team, I knew that deep down, he did. And oddly enough, in an unorthodox way, we had sort of been friends. Or at least we tolerated each other.

Then I thought of Danny Quinn. I sighed, just as I had when he was actually around. Stubborn, headstrong, and unable to take orders, Danny had been both a friend and thorn in my side. He'd really been there for me, and I couldn't deny how much I had missed him after I'd left.

I pushed a strand of my long, dark hair from my face as I walked in and looked around, absently thinking that my hair, which fell to my waist now, probably needed to be cut. I stood there, at first unnoticed, in the main room of the ARC. I had kept the card given to me when I'd first been employed by Lester, which had allowed me to be waved through security without a problem.

It didn't seem like anyone had changed much, even though I only saw three members of my old team at first. Connor was standing at the Anomaly Detector, tweaking one of the monitors. Abby stood next to him, handing him stuff as he asked for it. A wire here, a small bolt there. Neither of them seemed to have changed a bit.

Sarah was standing behind them, seeming bored as she watched them work on the complex computer system. She just happened to glance over her shoulder as I walked closer, and her entire face lit up in a huge smile.

"Jenny!" she shrieked, running to me and sweeping me up in a bone crushing hug.

"God it is so good to see you," I said, hugging her tightly.

Abby grinned and walked over, hugging me after Sarah had let go. Connor did the same, and I was immediately engulfed in a flurry of "how have you been?"s and "what made you decide to drop by?"s.

"Jenny?"

I turned around to see Becker and Danny walk in, and I grinned broadly as Danny rushed over to give me such a crushing hug that it made Sarah's look frail. I hugged him tightly, still smiling as he pulled away.

"I see you haven't changed a bit," I said, looking him over and glad to see that the toughness of the job hadn't at all deteriorated his impulsive personality.

"I don't think you have, either," he said, releasing my hand when he realized he'd taken it in his own.

"Not a bit," I laughed, even though when I thought about it, I had become more easygoing than I had been.

Danny immediately engaged me in a lengthy conversation about everything that had happened since I'd left, and I listened intently, relieved when I heard that no one had been seriously injured as of recently. I nodded along, walking over to the Anomaly Detector with him as he explained all of its new renovations.

I was listening attentively until I saw someone over his shoulder, and I felt my gaze fix on him. Not on Danny, though. The man I was staring at hadn't changed a bit, and was still wearing an immaculately tailored suit with a flippant, bored expression to match.

"James," I breathed, feeling a smile yet again break across my face. I was surprised to feel even happier to see him than I had Danny. I had missed James Lester, my former boss, but I hadn't expected to feel this elated to see him again. He had just walked into the main room, talking while staring down at the clipboard in his hands.

"Alright, Connor, you need to get that confounded computer back online soon. It's already been offline for an hour now, and knowing our luck, the Loch Ness monster will be swimming through an anomaly anytime now," he said with his usual cold sarcasm. I had missed that sarcasm.

I grinned and quickly went over to him, throwing my arms around his neck, shocking both him and myself. My arms were locked tightly around his neck, and I knew my former team was behind me, looking at me like I'd lost my mind. I think it's hard to shock him speechless, but for a brief moment I believe I did.

"Hello to you too, Jenny," he said sarcastically. Well, he wouldn't be James if he wasn't greeting me with sarcasm.

"It is so good to see you," I said, still shocked by my reaction. What on earth had gotten into me? But even as I questioned my sanity, I still clung to a shocked and confused James Lester, catching a faint whiff of what I expected to be a very expensive cologne. Expensive and sarcastic. Two words to neatly sum him up.

"It's, ah, good to see you too," he said, still confused but seeming to relax a little.

"How have you been?" I asked him.

"Well, I will be more than happy to talk with you, but don't you think you should let go, at least for Danny's sake? I believe he is quite jealous," he said, seemingly amused by both my reaction and Danny's .

"Right, sorry," I said, blushing as I released him. Sure enough, Danny was glaring at us. I blushed even deeper, cursing myself for my stupid reaction. The only thing I had managed to do was make an idiot of myself.

Danny was glaring, Sarah's eyebrows were up, Connor and Abby were looking at each other with matching looks of puzzlement, and Captain Becker just walked off whistling. I was somewhat relieved to notice that Danny wasn't glaring at _me_, but it wasn't much better that he was glaring daggers at James.

"Don't you all have work to be doing?" James asked, looking between them irritably.

"Oh! Um, yeah, absolutely," Connor stuttered, returning to working on the Anomaly Detector. James had always intimidated the poor kid.

"That was mean," I whispered to him, knowing enjoyed his power over Connor. He simply shrugged and returned to looking at his clipboard, and yet again started barking orders. Within five minutes, Danny, Sarah, and Becker were off on one task or another.

"How have you been?" he asked as we walked up to office, which like him, hadn't changed at all.

"Fine. Rather well, actually. As you can tell, I've loosened up quite a bit," I added.

"Obviously," he said, arching one eye brow skeptically.

"I don't really know what made me decide to come back and visit all this time later, but I was sitting at home and the idea just came to me. I've missed everyone so much."

"Well, your replacement is a horrible excuse for a PR, and we could use someone that knows what she'd doing," he shrugged, settling down in his chair and folding his arms behind his head.

I blinked, taken aback at the offer. I had come to visit, but I had never imagined that I could again work here again. Even though I had been immensely enjoying my life as a normal, average woman, there was a certain allure to his offer. There was a small part of me that missed the constant motion of life at the ARC. And of course, I missed my friends.

"Feel free to think on it," he said, offering me a chair. I nodded, sinking down into one of the chairs across from his desk. I mulled over the options, feeling my head spin ever so slightly. Wasn't it true that I felt at home here? Wasn't it true that I knew every inch of the ARC like the back of my hand? Wasn't it true, more than all of it, that I couldn't let Claudia Brown, the woman I had been in the past, dictate my present life?

As I met his eyes across the desk, I started remembering my life at the ARC even more vividly than before. I thought of that last night here, when I had almost died. Yet against all odds, I had woken up. I remember Danny taking my hand, Connor and Abby's huge smiles of relief, the happiness sparkling in Sarah's eyes, the worry clear on James' face.

But even as I recalled my life here before, I couldn't help but doubt if I even belonged here anymore. While I could still hold a controlled, calm mask in any situation, look at what I had done in the main room today, launching myself at my former boss. It was glaringly obvious how much I had changed, but with those changes, could I still maintain my former job?

I sighed and leaned back in my chair, my mind blurred with "what if"s and "could I?"s. I fiddled with the cuff of my shirt, wondering why I was even considering it. I had _died _doing this job, only to come back to life against all odds. Shouldn't that say something? Yet why, even knowing all of that, I couldn't tell the man sitting across from me that the idea of me returning to my old job was the craziest idea I had ever heard? That was the thing. I couldn't. The word was on my lips, but I couldn't say _no. _I knew I needed to, but I just couldn't force the word out. Truthfully, I longed for my old job, and he knew it.

Frustrated at my own lack of will, I sat straighter in my chair, feeling the woman I had been two years ago coming back to me once again. A small smile curved my lips, and I felt the real Jenny Lewis return. James must have noticed the change and taken it as a yes, because he rose to his feet and walked me back to my old office, which hadn't changed at all.

_Welcome home_, I thought to myself, soaking in the familiarity of my office. I'd enjoyed my relaxed, simply life, but honestly it was getting a bit old. All the doubts I'd had of if I still belonged here vanished with one glance at James, who actually seemed genuinely pleased to have me back, even though he didn't show it much on the surface. Not to mention the rest of the team, who had welcomed me with open arms. Literally.

As we stood in the doorway, I felt the tension in me relax. I knew that I would still hold a piece of the free spirited woman I had become, but I also felt a measure of the stronger, more controlled me flow back into me as I turned to my old boss and somewhat friend. He took my hand and shook it firmly, meeting my eyes.

"Welcome back, Jenny."

"_These places and these faces are getting old, so I'm going home." _~Daughtry

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Not sure about this fic yet. It took me three days to decide if I wanted to post it. Should I continue? I don't know if I should or not, so opinions would be greatly appreciated! I know that I currently have three unfinished Vampire Diaries stories in progress, but I love Primeval and wanted to a fan fiction with my favorite couples. This one will be center around sort of a Jenny/Danny/Lester triangle, with touches of Connor/Abby.**

**Well, enough of my rambling. Thanks so much to everyone who's read this and given it a chance, and of course to drodgers89, who repeatedly told me I should post this fic. **

**P.S. - Sorry if Jenny was too OOC in the start of the chapter, but I figured after staying away from the ARC for so long she'd lighten up a little :-)**


	2. If It Turns To Chaos

"_There ain't no rest for the wicked, until we close our eyes for good." _~Cage The Elephant

**Lester's P.O.V.**

I sat in my office the day after Jenny's return, feeling drug out and exhausted. I'd stayed up all night finishing the paperwork to make Jenny's return to the team official, not to mention the regular paperwork I had to handle.

"You alright, mate?" Connor asked, sticking his head in.

"I will be just fine if you leave me alone and return to your work," I snapped. Sadly, he was in an unbreakably good mood due to Jenny rejoining the team. I sighed, leaning back in back in my chair wearily. As if he wasn't chipper enough already.

"Fine, fine. I'm still tweaking the Anomaly Detector, but it should only be offline for another hour or so."

"Hour or so? Get it working _now_, Connor," I spat aggressively, my already sharp temper even worse due to exhaustion.

"Sorry," he mumbled, his shoulders drooping. It was hard to stay mad at him when he looked like a kicked puppy. Oh well. He'd get over it.

"Something wrong?" Jenny asked, coming in right after Connor left.

"Just Connor being Connor. He's tweaking that damn Anomaly Detector again, and I don't want it offline any longer," I said, motioning for her to sit down. I needed her to sign her name on some of the papers verifying her return.

"Ah. The boy is a genius, but he had obviously never heard the saying 'if it isn't broke, don't fix it.' That Detector was offline for two and a half hours yesterday. It does not need to be offline for that long again today," she nodded, looking as weary as I felt.

"I thought you would agree with me," I said, already feeling glad to have her back. She was extremely useful. I handed her the papers she needed to sign and pointed out where she needed to sign them. By the time she was finished, she was rubbing her hand as if it was sore. It probably was.

"Is that all you need?" she asked, folding her hands on her lap.

"Yes, that will be all for now," I said, rubbing the back of my neck, which was sore from tension. She nodded and rose to her feet, straightening her skirt. She looked as professional as always, wearing a knee length pencil skirt, a short sleeved blouse, and black pumps that looked rather expensive. Good. I needed someone here besides myself looking professional.

"Let me know if you need me," she said, leaving my office.

I put the pen I had been holding down and leaned my head back over the desk chair, mentally kicking myself for not sleeping at all last night. I had intended on going to sleep when I had realized it was time to leave for work, and even coffee can't help someone that hasn't slept in somewhere around twenty-four hours. I closed my eyes, intending only to rest for a moment before returning to paperwork.

Before I even realized I was asleep, a familiar nightmare rose from my subconscious. I was running from the awful predator Leek had sent after me. Memories flashed through my head, and unconscious, I could do nothing to prevent it.

Running for my life down the halls of the ARC, feeling the backfire of the rifle I was shooting the predator with sending vibrations though me, hitting the button to release the mammoth. The last one was the worst. That awful moment when the predator had jumped at me, and there had been the briefest moment where I realized I may actually die. I could never forget that awful moment, the sick feeling I'd had when the predator had been only feet away from me. _This is it, James, this is how you die,_ I'd thought.

Suddenly a shrill ringing interrupted my nightmare, but I couldn't identify where it was coming from. My mind became confused, and I thought I heard someone say my name.

"James! Wake _up_!"

My eyes shot open, and I jerked when I saw Jenny's face only a few inches from mine. Her hands were shaking my shoulders, and I finally realized that the shrill ringing I'd heard was not in my nightmare, it was real. The Anomaly Detector was going off.

"W-What?" I said groggily, blinking in confusion.

"There's a new anomaly," she said, grabbing my wrist and yanking me to my feet.

"So I noticed. Why are you here, telling me this? The team's probably on their way to check it out right now," I said, crossing my arms when she released my wrist.

"Someone's deflecting the signal. We can't figure out where it is, nor can we figure out where Captain Becker is," she explained, managing to maintain a calm exterior.

"Huh. Well, I suppose someone should start looking for him, then," I said, still not seeing the problem.

"James, listen _carefully_. There's a new anomaly that we don't know where is. Becker disappeared right before the Anomaly Detector went off," she said, meeting my eyes. I felt my eyes widen slightly when I realized what she was implying, but I quickly recovered.

"You think the anomaly's _here_. In the ARC," I said.

"That's exactly what I think."

"Well have the team start looking for it, then!" I spat, not understanding why she was still standing here talking to me, when she needed to be giving the team their assignments.

"I wasn't leaving you asleep in here with a possible anomaly in the ARC! If you'd still been asleep, the animals would have you shredded before you were half conscious!" she said, shaking my shoulders like I was some sort of idiot.

"Well, I'm awake now, so get _moving_!" I shouted, turning her around and pushing her out the office door. If there was an anomaly in here then she did not need to waste time worrying about me, she needed to find Connor and have him seal the anomaly. The alarm still rang shrilling in my ears, and I walked out of my office to overlook the main room.

"Get down here!" Jenny yelled from below, looking up at me with wide eyes. I lifted one eyebrow but still sighed and started walking down to the ground level. She met me halfway and grabbed my arm, dragging me the rest of the way down.

"What's wrong?" I asked, trying to conceal my worry for the team and the ARC with a bored tone of voice.

"We found the anomaly. It's here, and it's on the second floor.," Connor explained as he shut off the alarm.

"Have any creatures come through yet?" I asked, leaning against the side of the table that held the Anomaly Detector.

"Not that we've seen, but we're worried that something got Becker," Sarah said, gnawing at her nails.

"Why is no one looking for him?" I demanded.

"Danny and Abby are. They haven't got back yet. Connor wanted to go with Abby, but we wouldn't let him. We need him here," Jenny said.

"Ah, speaking of Connor, where is he?" I asked, looking around. He'd disappeared from the main room.

"Oh no. He went after Abby," she said, putting her hands on her hips.

I sighed. "Of course he did. The idiot's in love with her," I said irritably.

"I know, but I didn't think he'd be stupid enough to go after her," she said.

"This is Connor we're talking about," I reminded her with a shrug.

"I know, but-"

I cut her off my grabbing her and shoving her down on the ground, shielding her body with my own. I glanced up and saw the saber tooth tiger jump over us, shuddering when I realized that Jenny's head had been in it's exact path just seconds ago.

"You okay?" I asked, looking back down.

"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you for pushing me down," she said, staring after the tiger with wide eyes. Sarah and jumped up on a table, shaking like a leaf, but the rest of the team was nowhere to be found.

"What about you, are you okay?" Jenny asked, looking around in search of any other animals.

"I'm fine as well. We'd better find the rest of the team, though," I said, getting to my feet and helping her up.

"Oh god, I hope they're okay," she said worriedly.

"We'll find them," I said, conveniently omitting the obvious, which was the fact that what we may find was their dead bodies.

"Alive, hopefully," she said shakily, following the same train of thought I was.

"Hopefully," I agreed, straightening my tie out of habit. Somehow I doubted I would be able to maintain my usual orderly appearance throughout this, but old habits die hard.

"Alright. Let's go to the armory and get weapons. We can't take the creatures barehanded," I said, motioning for Sarah to get off the table and join us. She stumbled off weakly, and I sighed in exasperation.

We took off for the armory, which was free of both creatures and teammates. We started arming ourselves, and I almost laughed at the irony of it when I put the same exact rifle I'd used on the future predator over my shoulder. After we were loaded down with weapons, we left the armory to look for Danny, Connor and Abby. The second we walked out of the room, we were faced with a raptor. I immediately fired three bullets into its skull before it could attack.

"How the hell did a raptor and a saber tooth come through the same anomaly? They're both from different periods," Sarah said as we started up the hallway.

"I've no idea, and now's not the time to worry about it. There is obviously more where that came from," Jenny said, stopping to shoot another raptor.

It was probably fifteen minutes later when we found Connor and Abby tucked into a little storage room, both looking very young and very vulnerable. _Well, that's two down, two to go,_ I thought wryly. They explained that they hadn't seen Danny or Becker sice the creatures started appearing. Abby and Danny had gotten separated, and she had no idea where he was.

"Get outside or get yourselves guns. We've already encountered two raptors and a saber tooth," I said, wasting no time in yanking them to their feet.

"We'll get guns. We've got to stick together," Abby said, brushing a lock of short, platinum blond hair from her eyes. To her left, Connor nodded.

"I agree, sadly enough. Oh, how I hate agreeing with children. Anyways, go back to the armory and get guns. Start looking for Becker and Danny," I ordered.

They nodded and took off for the armory, and Jenny, Sarah and I started down the hallway in the opposite direction. Jenny shot a giant spider, and I shot the saber tooth that had lunged at us in the main room. The rule was generally to tranquilize and not kill, but right now we had no time to worry about how it was going to affect the workings of time or whatever the hell Cutter had always been rambling about.

We finally found both Becker and the anomaly, both which were in the lab. Becker was bleeding and unconscious, but the anomaly was as alive as ever. The bracelet on Sarah's wrist was sucked into it via the magnetic force field, and Jenny had to take her necklace off because to was straining against her neck, trying to reach the force field.

"Is he going to be alright?" Sarah asked as Jenny knelt beside Becker.

"He'll be fine, it looks like something knocked him into this table and he hit his head," she explained, glancing at the still open anomaly wearily.

"Sir, we found Danny," Connor said, rushing into the room with Abby to his left and Danny to his right. Danny seemed mostly unarmed, save for a scratch here and there.

"Go get the anomaly sealer, Temple," I said, leaning tiredly against the wall. That had seemed to be the last of the creatures, and I could easily enough dispose of the bodies of the ones what had gotten shot.

"Yes sir," he said, disappearing down the hallway.

"Lester, there's something coming through!" Abby exclaimed, her eyes wide as she watched a shape take form in the anomaly and slowly come out. I felt my entire body tense to run as the future predator came through the anomaly, but the next thing that came through the anomaly shocked me even more._ It can't be! He's dead_, I thought as I watched him come through the anomaly.

Chaos suddenly overtook the room as two things happened, and I felt like I was detached from my body, watching everything from a distance. It almost seemed to happen in slow motion. Stephen Hart walked through the anomaly, and the future predator lunged for my throat.

"_Later on if it turns to chaos, hurricane comin' all around us." _~The Fray

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**In case you don't know, then the anomaly leads to when right before Stephen died in the end of season two, when he was in that room with all of those creatures. The idea is that both he and all of the creatures came through the anomaly. Hence, there are still creatures left in the ARC.**


	3. It's Like I'm Looking From A Distance

"_I can't even breathe. It's like I'm looking from a distance, standing in the background." _~Carrie Underwood

**Jenny's P.O.V.**

"James!" I screamed as the predator lunged for his throat. I felt like I was hearing another woman scream his name, feeling another woman shoot the predator in the head until it collapsed to the ground. I felt like I was far away, watching myself react as he hit the ground, bleeding and unconscious.

"I'm taking him to the infirmary!" Danny yelled, picking him up.

"_Stephen_!" Abby shrieked, her pale blue eyes widening. She ran to him and threw her arms around him, and he immediately embraced her. Out of all of us, she had been one of the ones that missed him the most.

But I noted all of this with something of a detached manner, because my eyes were focused on Danny, who was walking out of the room with James. Coming to my senses, I ran out of the room after him, walking beside him.

"Is he going to be okay?" I asked, swallowing back my panic and trying to remain calm.

"Jenny…he doesn't look good," he said, pulling the collar of his shirt down to expose the gruesome wound that ran from his left shoulder all the way down the length of his collarbone, stopping about an inch above his heart. The gash was about half an inch, maybe an inch wide, and blood was everywhere.

"We have to do everything we can," I said, unable to believe that after not even being back for a day, my return had already turned to chaos. My musing wasn't because I felt sorry for myself, but because I felt somehow responsible for what had happened to James.

"We will," he assured me as we walked into the infirmary. He didn't even have to say anything; one look at the wound on the man he was carrying and the medical team took James from him and laid him down on one of the treatment tables. They removed his jacket, his tie, and shirt. I gasped when I saw the gash completely exposed, and Danny put his arm around me reassuringly.

"They'll do everything they can," he said, even though it was hard to have a positive outlook when there was so much blood running out of the wound.

"I know," I said numbly, watching as the team tried to staunch the bleeding. He was pale and gaunt, like he was dead. I closed my eyes, thinking of Nick Cutter. I couldn't lose someone else, another friend that I cared about.

"His collarbone's severely fractured. We're going to have to operate," the head of the medic team said to Danny and I.

"Do everything you can for him," Danny said, because I was almost too numb to speak. I couldn't stop thinking of Nick, and how awful it had felt to see his expressive, usually happy face so completely lifeless in death.

"We will do everything we possible can. I've worked for James Lester for a long time, and I know as tiresome and bossy as he can be sometimes, that he'd do just about anything for his team," the woman said, her eyes full of understanding.

I nodded and thanked her, wearily leaning into Danny. He wrapped his arms around me and I watched, feeling scared and shaken, as the medics started preparing James for surgery. I trembled slightly, but I tried to remain as calm as possible. It was why I had been hired for this job. I could remain calm in all situations.

"Let us know when he's out of surgery," Danny said, leading me out of the room.

"Come on. Let's go see Stephen," I said, managing to keep the tremor from my voice.

"Who is he, anyways? Everyone is talking about him, but I've no idea who the man is. I've heard of him now and then, but I don't know much about him."

I sighed and began explaining his story, from the fact he slept with Helen to how he died. "Wow. That's some more story," he said, walking back into the armory, where Connor had managed to seal the anomaly before any more creatures could get out.

"Hello, Stephen," I said as I walked over to him.

He was leaning against the counter next to Abby, and he smiled at me in greeting. His gaze didn't stray from Abby long, who he looked at like she was the most beautiful creature in the planet. I guess it goes to show how much almost dying makes you realize that you care about someone. Well, technically it's not a matter of almost dying. He did die, and now he's somehow back through an anomaly that's a portal between now and a rather recent past.

"How's Lester?" he asked, though he didn't sound particularly worried. He'd never liked James much.

"It doesn't look good," I told him.

"Well, I hope he comes out of it," he said, though his tone was mostly lacking worry. I suppose near death experience or no near death experience, Stephen is still Stephen. I smiled and thanked him, and left him and Danny to introduce themselves and whatnot.

I walked down the hall, back down to the infirmary. I walked in, careful not to bother the medics as they worked on James. I stayed close to the wall, resisting the urge to bite my nails. I had dropped the nervous habit years ago, but when I was nervous I still had to refrain from gnawing at my nails.

"I don't suppose that telling you that you're not supposed to be here is going to do any good?" the head of the medical team asked as she worked on him.

"With all do respect, ma'am, it certainly would not," I said with as much respect as I could.

She sighed. "Suit yourself, but this will get bloody," she warned.

"I know. I'm aware that surgery is no picnic," I said, folding my arms and promptly standing my ground. She nodded and continued, and I withstood the urge to turn away as they started piecing his collarbone back together. If there's anything you can say about me, it's that I'm not squeamish.

It felt like hours later when he was stitched up and the medic team was cleaning up the excess blood, but I have no idea how long I stood there while they operated on him. I glanced up as the head of the team walked over, and waited anxiously to heat the verdict.

"He's going to fine," she told me, and I closed my eyes, shaking with relief.

"Thank you. For making sure he would be alright," I told her, briefly squeezing her shoulder in thanks.

"That's very sweet, but you don't have to thank me. Would you like to sit with him until he wakes up? It shouldn't be long," she offered, pulling a chair over beside the operating table he was on.

"That would be lovely," I nodded, sinking into the chair.

She smiled and left to change out of her bloody clothes, and as the other medics file out behind her, I found myself alone with my very unconscious boss.

He still looked pale and terrible, but when I put my fingers to his wrist, I could feel his pulse beating there, strong and steady. I took his hand and ran my thumb across the top of it, finally feeling the tension that had been coiling in me unwind. He would be okay. I repeated that in my head over and over until it was firmly drilled in.

"Don't you ever scare me like that again, James Lester," I warned even though he couldn't hear me, "I was worried sick. Besides, who else is going to boss the team around if you're not here? Someone had to keep them in line," I said, still rambling on even though he didn't hear what I was saying.

"I really thought you were going to die there for awhile. I was terrified, James. You can be a complete ass sometimes, but you're my friend, damn it," I continued, feeling mortified at my own weakness as tears came to my eyes, "so if you ever get yourself mortally injured again, I am holding you personally responsible."

I clasped his hand between both of mine, studying him. He was pale and motionless, but I knew that as long as I could feel his pulse beating steadily, then there was nothing to worry about.

"I might've missed you," I whispered, laying my head on the hospital bed tiredly. God, I was tired.

"Good to know."

I jumped and sat bolt upright, shocked to see him glancing up at me with amusement. I narrowed my eyes at him.

"How long have you been awake?" I asked, pulling my hands away when I realized they were still clasping his.

"Since the medic offered you a chair."

I folded my arms across my chest, tossing my hair over my shoulder to mask my embarrassment. Though as tired as I was, I'm not sure I wouldn't have said some of that to his face.

"I was worried. If you had died, then I wouldn't have anyone to pay me," I said, even though the relief in my tone took the edge out of my words.

"Well, this has been an eventful day," he said, going for sarcasm but so tired that he just sounded exhausted and weary.

"Why don't you get some rest? The anomaly is sealed and Stephen's getting settled in," I offered.

"I just woke up," he protested, sitting up.

"And you've been through hell today. Lay down," I ordered, putting my hand on his chest and pushing him back down.

"I am fine, Jenny," he said exasperatedly.

"You are now. Still, you need to rest," I said, eyeing the bandage worriedly. I knew he was fine, but he needed to heal before jumping right back into things.

"You are a stubborn woman," he mumbled.

"That's why you hired me," I pointed out.

"True enough."

"Get some sleep, James. You can start bossing people around again when you've recuperated," I said, getting to my feet.

"Well, I'm assigning you to bossing the team around until I'm _recuperated_, as you put it," he said.

"Deal. I'll see you later," I said, giving a small wave and walking out of the infirmary. I ran face first into Danny when I walked out, and stumbled back.

"Sorry. I didn't see you," I said, feeling tired and wanting to go home. Sadly, though, that wouldn't be an option. Until he was better, I had to take over for James.

"No problem. Sorry I ran into you," he said, eyeing me with worry.

"You look exhausted," he commented.

"I'm fine," I said folding my arms over my chest, a position I seemed to take up often. I tilted my chin up to look him in the eye, and I tossed my hair over my shoulder in my famous stubborn fashion. He seemed to know a lost battle when he saw one, because he sighed and nodded.

"Alright. I'm going to check in on Lester and then I'm going to help Stephen get settled," he said.

"James is asleep, but you're more than welcome to stick your head in," I told him.

"Na, I'll just let him sleep. Let me know if you need me," he said, going back down the hall to the lab, where I assumed Stephen still was. Now that my mind wasn't clouded with worry, I could see that his return had caused quite the commotion.

I went up to James's office and sat down, staring at the large stack of paper work. I called downstairs to have the secretary inform the minister that I would be taking over for a few days to due to James's injury, and she hastened to comply. I think she was so used to being bossed around that she didn't realize that I wasn't trying to order her around.

"This is going to be a tiring night," I muttered to myself, starting on the mountain of paperwork.

Hours later, I had finally finished it. My hand ached, I was exhausted, and I realized why he was so grumpy all the time. If I had to do this constantly, on a daily basis, then I think I'd be grumpy too.

After I finished, I walked back the infirmary to check in on him. I walked in, smiling and nodding to the medics milling around. I walked over to James, who was still soundly asleep. Some color had returned to his face, and his breathing was deep and even. He'd apparently gotten up and changed clothes at some point, because the button down shirt he was wearing was clean and not bloodstained.

"How's he doing?" I asked the medic that walked over to me.

"He's fine. He'll probably be up and about in a few days," she told me.

"Good. Thank you," I said, again sitting down in the chair beside him. I wanted to wait for him to wake him in case he needed anything, but I was just too damned tired. I put my head down on the edge of the bed, closing my eyes and succumbing to exhaustion. My last waking thought was that it felt oddly right, being there with him. What I had thought to myself when I had went to see Stephen went through my head. _I guess it goes to show how much almost dying makes you realize that you care about someone,_ I thought drowsily, finally falling asleep with those words echoing in my head.

"_All this time, we were waiting for each other. All this time, I was waiting for you." _~OneRepublic


	4. I've Never Been The Jealous Type

"_I'm just a jealous guy, watch out. I'm just a jealous guy, look out babe." _~Paul Lennon

**Danny's P.O.V.**

I was walking around, looking for Jenny, when I ran into Stephen. He looked flustered. I lifted one eyebrow, and he sighed.

"I must look like a mess, huh?" he asked, leaning against the wall of the hallway.

"To say the least, mate," I laughed.

"It's Abby. I blame her for my handsomely disheveled appearance," he joked.

"_Handsomely_ disheveled? Were you always this sure of yourself or this a more recent addition?"

"I've always been like this," he shrugged.

"So, what's up with Abby?" I asked him as we started walking down the hall.

"I've always…liked her. A lot. She and I were never actually together, I was so caught up in Helen Cutter that I didn't realize what was right in front of me. Now I'm worried it's too late," he sighed.

"Why is that?" I asked as we walked into the main room.

"Connor Temple." He said the name with so much venom that I thought it would stain the floor.

"Connor?" I laughed, "she still won't give the poor bloke the time of day."

"Really?" he asked, perking up like a puppy.

"Yeah, really. She's single," I told him, and tried to refrain from laughing when he started grinning like an idiot. The poor guy really had it bad for her.

"Why does Stephen look like Christmas has just arrived early?" Becker asked in his usual formal, crisp tone.

"Because he just found out Abby's single. He was jealous of Connor," I explained. _Kind of like I'm starting to get jealous of Lester. Except for when she's doing paperwork, Jenny barely leaves the infirmary, _I thought.

"See, that's why I like guns. Your Glock 22 never gets jealous of your M107, even if you do like the M107 better," he said, affectionately patting the rifle that was slung over his shoulder.

"I prefer M-24s, myself," Stephen said.

"Suit yourself, but trust me, M107s are far more accurate," Becker said, crossing his arms.

"No way. An M-24 is the best damn rifle there is," Stephen argued, also crossing his arms.

I shook my head and walked off, leaving them to argue about guns. I walked over to the infirmary and looked in, sighing at the sight of Jenny, who was again asleep in the plastic chair next to Lester's bed. When she wasn't working, she was almost always with him. I felt a pang of jealousy, but angrily repressed it. I didn't have a right to be jealous, she wasn't even my girlfriend.

"Jealous, mate?"

I turned around to see Stephen walking up, hands in his pockets. He glanced in the direction I was looking and shook his head with a laugh.

"What are you laughing about?" I asked.

"We've both got possessive streaks a mile wide, even though we don't really have the right to be possessive in the first place," he said, spelling out my exact thoughts.

"Agreed. I'll ask Jenny out if you ask Abby," I joked, surprised when he started considering.

"Deal," he said, and I felt a little bit of nervousness go through me at the thought of asking her out. It had been years since I'd gotten nervous over a woman, but obviously Jenny was no ordinary woman. She was smart, beautiful, successful-

"What are you thinking about so hard?" Stephen asked, interrupting my musings.

"Jenny," I admitted.

"Ah. I do that all the time, I space out when I start thinking about Abby." I smiled, seeing the way his eyes sparkled when he said her name. It was so obvious that he cared about her, maybe even loved her. It would be interesting to see Connor get jealous, and I absently wondered who Abby would choose. Her and Connor were extremely close, and it wouldn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that they loved each other.

"Well, I guess I better go. I promised Sarah I'd help her go through some books on creatures. I'm such a pushover," I sighed, shaking my head.

"You have fun with that," he laughed, patting my shoulder and walking off.

**Jenny's P.O.V.**

"Ow," I muttered as I woke up in an awkward painful position. I was again in the chair, with my head on the edge of the hospital bed. My neck was killing me. I looked around and was alarmed to see the bed empty.

"Is everything alright?" I asked one of the medics as I pulled myself upright.

"Absolutely. He was just released, actually."

"Oh. Good then. Thank you," I said, getting up and leaving the infirmary. I was distracted as I walked, so I didn't see James until I ran right into him.

"Someone's in a hurry, I see," he said sarcastically.

"Sorry about that. I'm a bit out there today," I said apologetically.

"Work tiring you out?" he asked, and I nodded.

"Welcome to walking in my shoes."

"I prefer high heels, thank you very much. And if you ever start wearing those, I quit," I said, putting my hands on my hips.

"If anyone around here starts wearing high heels, it will probably be Connor," he said. I just laughed and shook my head. He was always so hard on the kid.

"Oh, and why I have you, I wanted to ask you someth-" he started.

"Jenny, there you are!" Danny cut him off, running up to us.

"Hi Danny," I said, glancing at James briefly when he gave an irritated sigh.

"Hey. I was wondering if we could talk alone for a second?" he asked, looking over at James pointedly.

"Sure. James, I'll come to your office after I talk to Danny," I said since he still needed to ask me something.

He nodded and walked off without another word in his typical brisk fashion. I turned to Danny, who was staring at his shoes. He looked nervous, an uncommon word when describing him.

"I was wondering if you, ah, had a…boyfriend," he finally managed.

I blinked in surprise. "No, I don't. Why?" I asked with a smile.

"Because I'd like to ask you to dinner," he said, seeming to regain some of his usual confidence. I smiled and blushed, which was something I did not do very often.

"I would love to," I said.

His face broke in a grin, and I thought he was going to do a happy dance right there in the hallway. He looked ecstatic and immensely relieved, and I couldn't resist smiling back at him. His happiness was contagious.

"How about tomorrow night?" he asked.

"Sounds wonderful. After I leave work, I'll run home and change, and then we'll go. Pick me up at seven?"

"Of course. That sounds perfect. Can't wait," he said, kissing my cheek. I smiled at him again, feeling like a silly young girl and not caring one little bit. Actually, after all of the drama that had been going on since my return, it felt good to relax.

"I will see you later, then," I said, taking his hand and giving it a quick squeeze before heading to James's office.

"What are you so happy about?" he asked, lifting one eyebrow as I walked in, all smiles. He was standing at the glass panel that overlooked the man room, and looked blatantly uninterested, but right now even his sarcasm and flippancy couldn't bring me down. I felt like a teenager again, and was loving it.

"I have a date," I announced proudly, flouncing down in his chair and spinning around. He glanced over his shoulder at me, and sighed, shaking his head. Walking over, he leaned against the side of his desk.

"You're in my chair," he pointed out dryly. I nodded, spinning around again. It was so much fun to push his buttons.

"So, you and Quinn?" he asked, making himself comfortable on the edge of the desk, seeing that I was not moving from his chair.

"Yep, we're going out to dinner tomorrow night," I informed him happily.

"Have fun," he said sarcastically. Normally when people say that, you're immediate reaction is to say "thank you, I will," but when it's said sarcastically you just glare playfully. Or at least that's what I did.

"Mock me all you want, but you are _not_ ruining my good mood," I said.

"And you are _not_ getting out of my chair anytime soon, apparently," he sighed.

I laughed and stood up, moving to one of the chairs in front of his desk. I glanced up at him, shaking my head in amusement when he sunk down on his revolving leather desk chair. He was so touchy about his chair.

"So, what were you going to ask me?" I said, suddenly recalling our interrupted conversation.

"I have a formal meeting at Whitehall, and I am in need of an escort," he said, leaning back in his chair and tilting his head over the back of it, only to wince and tilt it forward again. The stitches on his neck must be bothering him.

"When is it?" I asked.

"This Friday night, we would need to arrive at six p.m. sharp. Lateness is not an option."

"Obviously. This is Whitehall we're talking about. It's only Wednesday, and I have nothing scheduled for Friday. Yes, I suppose I can do it," I nodded.

"Good. I need someone that can dress professionally and not make an idiot of me, and you were about the only candidate," he said, absently fingering his neck, right above where I assumed the stitches were.

"How's your neck?" I asked, my brow knitting together with worry.

"Fine. Just a bit tense," he shrugged.

"Are you sure you're alright?" I asked, noticing that he seemed to be in pain.

"Yes. Well, that's all for now. You can go find Sarah and the two of you can squeal over your date or whatever you women do."

"I believe I'll go find her and we'll do just that," I said, rising to my feet and leaving his office.

"You have a _date _with Danny?" Sarah shrieked excitedly after I told her the news.

"Yes. Tomorrow night. He's picking me up at seven," I said happily, smiling at Danny when he waved at me. We stood in the main room, and I watched with amusement as Stephen and Becker polished their guns. The two of them seemed to get along wonderfully.

"Congratulations! We should go pick you out something to wear," she suggested, pushing her hair from her eyes.

I absently noticed Captain Becker watching her, and I wondered if she knew how much he liked her. It was obvious she liked him, too. Maybe they would start dating, and they could double with Danny and I sometime. I knew that there was a chance that things wouldn't work, but I didn't see how that was possible. Besides, I was too excited to dwell of the "what if"s.

"How about tonight?" I said.

"Great! I am in desperate need of a shopping trip."

"Good then, it's a win-win situation. I'll go get my purse," I said, turning to go to the locker room of sorts that we had set up.

As I turned to walk away, I noticed James again standing at the glass panel in his office, and he met my eyes as I glanced up at him. He had his hands clasped behind his back, and he looked upset about something. Or maybe upset was the wrong word. I knew what he looked, but it wasn't possible. He simply wasn't capable of it.

But if I didn't know any better, I would say that he looked jealous.

"_I've never been the jealous type, it's never been my thing." _~rikkibelle

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**This is a quick little note, but I'd like to thank everyone that's reviewed this story! And of course to drodgers89, who gave me the idea for the Becker/Stephen/Danny conversation with the guns. And the quote at the end of this is from a song that someone wrote and posted to YouTube, so I put the username as the author.**

**Thanks so much to all of my readers!**


	5. I Could Not Ask For More

"_I could not ask for more than this time together, I could not ask for more than this time with you." _~Edwin McCain

**Jenny's P.O.V.**

"This place is beautiful," I told Danny as I walked into the restaurant on his arm. It was very formal, and I wore a simple but beautiful black dress that fell to my knees. It was strapless, with a sweetheart neckline, and it made of form fitting silk. Sexy but sophisticated. He'd told me how beautiful I looked when he'd picked me up, and I'd blushed like a sixteen year old girl being picked up for the prom.

"I'm glad you like it," he said as we were guided to our seats, which were right beside a window overlooking downtown.

"I love it," I said, smiling as he pulled out my chair for me.

I sat down and he pushed it in, behaving like a perfect gentleman. We ordered our drinks and fell into easy conversation as we looked over the menus. I found out that we had a lot in common, and he was easy to talk to. The night was perfect, the food was delicious, and as we walked out of the restaurant I regretted that it was over.

"Did you have a nice time?" he asked hopefully, opening the passenger side door of his car for me.

"I had a _wonderful_ time, and I would very much like to do again sometime. That is, if you want to as well," I said, glancing over at him as he got in the car. He was grinning, and looked happier than I had ever seen someone.

"All night, I was hoping you'd say that," he said, taking my hand on the console. I leaned over and kissed his cheek, and he was still smiling as he pulled out of the parking lot.

"Good night, Jenny," he said as he walked me to the door.

It was a scene out of every romance novel. Boy and girl (or in this case, man and woman) are standing on the porch, and she's wondering if he'll kiss her goodnight. I felt like I was back in high school, and this was my first kiss.

My pulse picked up as he leaned close, and then rocketed as soon as his lips gently brushed mine. I leaned into the kiss, wrapping my arms around his neck. His arms circled my waist, and I lost track of time as we stood there on the porch.

We finally broke apart, both breathless. I tried to fix my hair, which had become disorderly. My face was flushed, and so was his.

"Goodnight, Danny," I said, giving him a quick kiss on the lips before going into my apartment. I ran inside and picked up the phone, dialing Sarah.

"Hello?"

"Sarah, hi. It's Jenny."

"Hey! How was the date?"

"_Wonderful_. I'll tell you everything…"

**Lester's P.O.V.**

"Lester?"

I woke up groggily from a dead sleep to find Connor standing in the doorway of my room, holding his suitcases. He'd moved back in with Abby over a year ago, and it made no sense that he was here. At 2 a.m.

"What?" I demanded, sitting up. He better have a damn good reason for being here.

"Abby and Stephen had dinner at the flat tonight, and she won't stop talking about how perfect it was and…do you think I could stay here for awhile?" he asked, looking like a puppy someone had pitched out the door.

"Does this look like a youth hostel to you?" I said with increasing irritation.

"No, b-but I promise I won't bother you, I just wanted to crash on the couch, but if it would be too much of a bother I'll just-"

"Fine! Just shut up and let me go back to sleep," I said tiredly, sick of hearing his nervous rambling.

"Thank you Lester!" he grinned happily, dragging his suitcases into the living room.

I sighed, leaning back against the headboard. Great. He was back. Just what I always wanted, the return of my former "flat mate" as Connor had called himself. Still, even for me it would have been hard to turn him away looking that pathetic. That Maitland girl had really been putting him through it lately. As always, it was a continuing game of hot and cold, yet the idiot still chased after her.

"Well this is going to be fun," I muttered to myself irritably, sinking back down onto the pillow. I was tired, I was fed up, and I had just yet again acquired a roommate. Wonderful. If I had to make a list of things in my life I had absolutely hated, living with Connor Temple would definitely be on it.

I thought enviously of Jenny, who was probably sound asleep right now, dead to the world. I sighed and closed my eyes, trying to fall back asleep. A few minutes later, I opened them again. I couldn't get back to sleep, no matter how hard I tried. Figuring I could start on some paperwork, I got a shower, got dressed, and went into the living room.

"What are you doing awake?" Connor asked. He was sitting on the couch, and looked like he'd been staring blankly out the window.

"I couldn't get back to sleep, thanks to you."

"Sorry," he mumbled, turning back to the window.

I sat down on the edge of one of the armchairs, leaning over the coffee table and starting on paperwork. I waited for Connor to start rambling, but he was oddly silent. It was a nice change from how he'd been the last time he'd moved in, but as chatty as he usually was, his silence was a little unnerving.

"Thinking of Abby?" I asked, laying my pen down and leaning back in my chair.

"Yeah," he said, his shoulders drooping. He looked sad and defeated, and I tried unsuccessfully to refrain from feeling sorry for him. He got on my nerves, but it was somewhat sad to see someone so upbeat so depressed.

"Jealous?"

"Yeah," he said miserably.

"Ah," I said, not knowing what else to say. I went back to doing paperwork, and it was several minutes before he spoke again.

"Lester, can I ask you something and you not snap my head off?" he asked without sarcasm, completely serious.

"I suppose."

"Have you ever been jealous?"

I opened my mouth to snap at him and then closed it, trying to behave myself. It was a rare occasion that he needed to talk to someone, and my hand ached from holding my pen too long as it was.

I opened my mouth again, this time to say no, but closed it once more. It was a lie to say no. I doubted he would tell anyone what we talked about, anyways. He sure wouldn't tell Abby, his usual confidante, seeing as she was our main topic.

If I was being honest with myself, which I'm usually not, I _was_ jealous. Jealous of Danny Quinn, who had gone out with Jenny tonight. It was not my place to my jealous, I had no right to be jealous, but I was. When Jenny had come into my office and flounced down into my chair, I had felt an involuntary pang of fondness for her.

She was more free spirited than she had been two years ago, but she was still Jenny, if not a slightly happier version of her. Honestly, it was good to see her happy, not weighed down by thoughts of her apparent former double, Claudia Brown.

It's not like it's strange to be jealous of someone dating a woman like her, but I've never been jealous a day in my life. I had no idea what was wrong with me, but ever since she'd come back, we had bonded closer than before. When she'd left, we'd tolerated each other. Now, we were friends. Maybe even close friends.

"Yes," I finally told Connor.

"Really? Can I ask of who?" he asked, cringing slightly in fear that I would snap at him or yell at him.

"What we say here is told to no one," I said, looking at him sharply.

"Who am I going to tell? It's not like I'm going to tell Abby. She'd probably be too distracted with Stephen to listen to me, anyway,' he said sadly, looking hurt and lonely.

"Fine, fine. I'll tell you. It's Danny that I'm jealous of. Because of Jenny," I said, trying not to wince as the words were spoken aloud.

"_Jenny_?" he asked, jaw falling open.

"Yes, Jenny," I said, picking up my pen and starting back on the papers in front of me. I used it as an excuse not to meet his eyes, simply because I didn't feel like watching him gawk at me.

"Huh. You know what I'd do, mate? I'd fight for her," he said, and I looked up with one eyebrow lifted.

I scoffed. "As if you intend to take your own advice," I pointed out.

He swallowed hard and looked down at his hands, suddenly looking very young and very vulnerable. Ever since Nick's death, he'd matured rapidly, but I could currently see the rare vulnerability that still lingered.

"Lester, I know how much I annoy you, trust me. It's obvious that I do, and I'm sorry. I don't _try _to annoy you, I really don't. Just the opposite, actually. I'd love nothing more than to have someone like you approve of me. The entire ARC respects you, and you've got this expensive flat…" he trailed off briefly, searching for words.

"What I'm trying to say is that I admire you. I would love to able to be so controlled, to be able to lead like you can. I'm just a kid, I don't even really know what I'm doing. But ever since Nick died, I feel like I have to make him proud of me. I know that he would be proud of me no matter what, but I'm the youngest member of the team. I don't know why he trusted me out of all of us, to finish what he started," he finally finished, looking slightly choked up from talking about Nick. I blinked, surprised I was the one he'd chosen to confide in.

"Connor, if Nick saw you now, you have no idea how proud he would be. You were like a son to him. I know that he would be proud of you," I said, finally deciding not to brush him off with sarcasm. After everything he'd just told me, it would be heartless even by my standards just to brush him off.

"You really think so?" he asked, glancing over at me.

"I absolutely think so."

"Thank you. You have no idea how much that means to me, to know that you think that," he said, giving a sad, broken smile.

"Well don't get used to it. I am not going soft," I told him dryly, though my voice lacked its usual menace.

"I'll be sure to remember that. So, um, may I ask you one more question?" he asked, his brown eyes full of hope and nervousness.

"Go ahead."

"You said that Nick would be proud of me. I was just wondering…never mind," he said, seeming to lose his nerve.

"Spit it out, Temple."

"Are you, um…proud of me?" he asked shyly, picking at his fingernails.

I glanced up and paused to consider the question. I'd seen what he could do. He was brilliant, and even if he was just a kid, he knew what he was doing. If Nick thought he had it together, then he probably did. Sometimes he acted like a halfwit, but he was brave, as much as I dislike admitting it.

For awhile, while we had been living together, I had started to understand why Nick Cutter had started acting so fatherly towards him. I hardly ever got the chance to see my own kids, but I had enough of a naturally fatherly instinct that had taken to Connor recently. I would never tell him all of this, of course, but I did give him a simple answer that surprised both of us.

"Yes. I am. I doubted you ever since you started working for us, but not anymore. I know why Nick trusted you. In his position, I would have done the same thing," I told a very shocked Connor. He looked deeply touched, maybe even a little choked up. He smiled, but this time it was genuine.

"Thank you for that, Lester," he said, his grin widening.

"If you tell _anyone_ that I said that, I will skin you _alive_," I said threateningly.

"Don't worry, your secret's safe with me."

"It better be," I said, again starting on paperwork.

I felt oddly relieved to have been honest with him, though I suddenly felt as if I had taken over Nick's job as Connor's second father. And even odder, there was a part of me that _wanted_ to help him. That wanted to be there for the poor kid. He was nothing like my children, but he had somehow triggered my paternal instinct. He was so naturally innocent, it was hard not to want to take care of him.

"Lester," Connor whispered, interrupting my thoughts.

"Yes?" I asked, not looking up from my papers.

"Look up," he said in a deadly controlled whisper. He didn't sound that way unless there was danger. I looked up to see his face pale, like the blood had completely drained from it. And to his left, I saw the source of his fear.

In the center of my living room, there was a bright, open anomaly.

"_Lights will guide you home, and ignite your bones. And I will try to fix you." _~Coldplay

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Well, Jenny and Danny are finally together! It's still going to be a love triangle fic, but it's also going to follow the story of why anomalies to more recent pasts are popping up. I am considering bringing Nick and Claudia back. What do you think? Also, I know that Lester was a little OOC at the end of this chapter, but I always thought him and Connor had a possible father/son relationship potential.**

**Well, enough of my ramblings. Thank you for reading!**


	6. The Fight For You Is All I've Ever Known

_"Everything will change, nothing stays the same." ~Andrew Belle_

**Connor's P.O.V.**

I felt my eyes widen as something began coming through the anomaly, and I thought I distantly heard Lester telling me to get out of the flat, but I was fixated on the form coming through the anomaly.

"Is that…no, it can't be," Lester whispered as the form took shape in the living room. I felt my breath catch in my throat, and my brow knit together in shock and confusion.

"Is that Claudia Brown?" Lester asked, getting to his feet. I had seen pictures of Jenny's doppelganger, but it was not until now that I had finally seen her in person.

"Yeah. I think it is," I said, also rising to my feet. She was stunning, and looked just like Jenny except for her hair, which was a ginger color instead of Jenny's dark brown.

"Where is Nick Cutter?" she asked. Her voice was high and clear, lacking panic. No _Where am I?_ or _What's going on?, _it was just _Where is Nick Cutter?_

"Claudia, I don't know how to tell you this, but…" I trailed off, knowing that telling her Nick was dead would be like someone telling me Abby was dead.

Suddenly Lester's eyes got somewhat wide, and he started walking closer to the anomaly. Not close enough to go through, but close enough to look. His brow furrowed as another form materialized, and as I began to recognize the form coming through the anomaly, I felt tears coming to my eyes. The one man I thought I would never see again walked through and stood there, looking at Claudia.

"He's right behind you," Lester told her, still looking at Nick with open shock.

"Professor, you're alive!" I cried happily, flinging myself at him.

"Last time I checked, yeah," he joked, giving me an awkward little pat on the back. He was never much the affectionate type, but right now I could care less. He was back!

"How the _hell_ are the two of you here? Last time I checked, you," Lester motioned to Nick, "were dead, and she," he pointed to Claudia, "had gotten sucked into a bloody black hole."

"What are you talking about, Lester? A second anomaly opened up beside the one I was going to go through, the one Helen and I were going to go through to release the baby predators, and I followed Claudia through it. We were a little surprised to end up in your living room," he added, looking around.

"Oh my word," Lester muttered, but I was too elated to see Nick again to really care. I noticed him pulling out his phone, and pinch the bridge of his nose between his fingers as he dialed a number.

"Jenny? Yes, it's James."

She must have said something about what time it was, because he glanced and the clock before speaking again.

"I am well aware of the time, but Nick Cutter and Claudia Brown just traipsed through an anomaly and landed in my living room."

He held the phone away from his ear, and I could hear Jenny yelling even from where I was standing on the other end of the room.

I turned and began explaining everything to Nick and Claudia, from how Nick had originally come back through the anomaly to find that Claudia had never existed, to him being shot by Helen. They both looked shocked, and Nick comfortingly put his arm around Claudia, who leaned into his side.

"Well, Jenny's on her way," Lester said after closing his phone.

"It's not often that a woman gets to meet her doppelganger," Claudia sighed, brushing a lock of hair from her eyes.

**Jenny's P.O.V.**

I knocked on James's door, unable to believe that he had called me at two forty-five in the morning, telling me I was needed. I had thrown on slacks, a sweater, and pumps, hoping it wasn't anything that involved me needing make-up, because I hadn't put any on as I ran out the door.

"Good, you're here," he said as he opened the door. He was fully dressed for the day, but he looked disheveled. His hair was slightly disorderly, and his tie was crooked.

"Why did you call me?" I asked, reaching out and straightening his tie.

"I can show you better than I can tell you," he said, stepping back to let me in.

I walked in, and felt the blood drain from my face, leaving me dizzy. Nick was there. And so was Claudia Brown.

I walked forward, and she and I stared at each other in disbelief. My hair was longer and darker, but other than that, it was like looking in a mirror.

"Oh my god," she whispered, taking me in just the same as I was taking her in. Nick was looking between us, disbelief clearly written on his face. Connor hurriedly explained that another anomaly had appeared beside the one he had intended on going through with Helen to release the predators, and that he'd followed Claudia through it.

"This is unbelievable," I said, putting my hands on my hips. I was tired, I was confused, and quite frankly, I wanted to go back to bed.

"Lovely. Everyone on the team who's ever died is now back. That is just _wonderful_," James said irritably, sinking down onto the couch. Like me, he looked exhausted.

"Why don't we all get a little kip and worry about this in the morning?" Nick offered. He had already reassumed his role as the leader, obviously.

"Sounds like a plan to me," Connor yawned.

"Connor explained the ARC to us. Why don't we all meet there in the morning?" Claudia said.

"That's fine," James said, looking like he was about to fall asleep right there on the couch.

"Go to bed, James," I told him.

"Not until we get all this settled," he argued.

"Honestly, what is there left to settle? I'm going home, Claudia can stay there until she finds her a place, and we're all meeting up in the morning," Nick said, the voice of reason as always.

"Let's all just go to bed," Connor said, collapsing tiredly onto an armchair.

"Sounds good to me. I will see everyone tomorrow morning. Jenny, it was nice meeting you," Claudia said.

"Nice meeting you too," I said, even though meeting her had more than slightly disturbed me.

"Goodnight, everyone," Nick said, putting his arm around Claudia's shoulders as they walked out of the flat.

"Well that was fun," James said, pulling a comb from the inner pocket of his jacket and combing his hair back into place.

"No, it actually wasn't," I said tartly, glancing at the door and dreading the drive home. I was dog tired and could probably curl up on his living room floor and fall asleep.

"Why don't you just crash here tonight, Jenny? I'm sure Lester wouldn't mind," Connor offered.

"Thank you, but I have no intentions of imposing myself," I said, grabbing my purse and intending to leave.

"You wouldn't be imposing. Hell, I already have one roommate, why not add another?" James muttered.

"Are you sure? Because I would really hate to make a nuisance of myself."

"Don't worry about it. Connor sleeps in the armchair, you can have the couch," he said, getting to his feet.

"Thank you. I'll go first thing in the morning," I promised, sitting my purse on the coffee table.

"Just don't leave anything expensive sitting around, it may get eaten," he said, motioning to Sid and Nancy, who were chasing each other around the kitchen.

"Thanks for the tip," I said, putting my purse on the top shelf of the bookcase.

"If anyone needs me, I will be in bed," he said tiredly, walking off to his room.

I situated myself on the couch after sliding my shoes off, and Connor tossed me a blanket from one of his suitcases.

"Thanks," I said, pulling it over me and resting my head on one of the throw pillows on the couch.

"Goodnight, Jenny," he murmured sleepily.

"Goodnight, Connor," I said, reaching over and turning off the lamp that was on an end table beside me.

**Lester's P.O.V.**

When I woke up, my first thought was that I wanted to go back to bed.

My alarm went off at five a.m., and I shook my head when remembered the events of last night. Nick Cutter and Claudia Brown were back. Yay.

I changed out of the suit I'd fallen asleep in, combed my hair into place, and went into the kitchen to fix coffee. On my way through, I noticed Jenny, who was still asleep on the couch. She was completely quiet, where Connor was snoring loudly. Even sleeping, she looked tired and weary.

As I leaned against the counter sipping on too hot coffee, Jenny came in and fixed herself a cup, clutching it like a lifeline. She sat down at the small table, and sat the cup down while the coffee cooled.

"Somehow I think it was easier when dinosaurs were what was coming through the anomalies. At least we have books on them," she sighed, taking a drink of coffee.

"I know it was easier. At least when the creatures came through, all I had to do was sit in my office and do paperwork. Now I actually have to get involved," I said, sitting my empty cup in the sink.

"Aw, you poor thing," she said sarcastically.

"Do not get sarcastic with me, Jenny Lewis," I threatened, though I was too tired to really sound threatening.

"Oh, because you're one to lecture on sarcasm," she said, leaning back in her chair. I was well aware I was sarcastic, and had no problems with it. She just shook her head and laughed, finishing off the rest of her coffee. She washed out both of our cups and dried them, and I put them in the cabinet above the counter.

"So, when are we meeting everyone at the ARC?" she asked, hoisting herself up onto the counter.

"We normally go in at seven, I figure they'll at least remember that much. They'll probably just show up when we do," I shrugged, leaning against the counter next to her.

"I just can't figure out why all of a sudden, anomalies to very recent pasts of started appearing," she said.

"I have no idea. I figure I'll let the team figure it out," I said simply.

"You act like an idiot sometimes, but you have a good mind. You could help us out instead of holing up in your office, you know," she said, folding her arms over her chest.

"I don't get paid to 'help out,'" I reminded her.

"This is your _team_, James. If it wasn't for them, the ARC would exist. Now that anomalies are opening to recent pasts, we could use all the help we can get. Help us," she said, fixing her eyes on me, making it clear that she wasn't going to take no for an answer.

"You are a demanding little woman," I sighed, and she smiled, seeing that she'd won.

"Thank you for doing this for your team."

I studied her, from her sparkling brown eyes to her long curtain of hair. But it wasn't just her appearance that got to me. It was the way she was so fiercely determined, the way she protects her team, the strength that practically radiated from her. I couldn't help but tell her the truth.

"I'm not doing it for the team," I said, walking off down the hallway, unwilling to elaborate on what I'd said.

She was with Quinn now. I refused to complicate her life that way. I refused to tell her that even though it had only been for a few minutes, that I had somewhat enjoyed standing in the kitchen talking to her. I knew that I had to suppress the want to have her, had to stop myself from taking Connor's advice.

_What are you going to do, just let her slip through your fingers? Are you not even going to fight for this amazing woman that's doing these strange things to you, making you feel for someone like you never have before? _I asked myself.

"_All I see is you and me, the fight for you is all I've ever known." _~OneRepublic

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**So, the triangle is finally taking place! When I originally started this fan fiction, it was intended to be Jenny/Lester, but it turned into a triangle before I even finished the first chapter. Also, the next chapter will elaborate more on Stephen and Abby having dinner at the flat and on the Connor/Abby/Stephen triangle in general. **

**Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed and supported this fan fiction, you guys are wonderful!**


	7. Born To Become Best Friends And Lovers

"_What if we were made for each other, born to become best friends and lovers." _~Colbie Calait

**Jenny's P.O.V.**

I gave myself one more skeptical glance in the mirror before finally deciding I at least looked presentable. It was Friday night, and James would be here in about fifteen minutes to take me to the formal meeting an Whitehall.

I wore a dark purple halter necked dress that was backless, with a scoop neck. It was draped and flowing, and my hair was swept up into a complicated upsweep that had taken me thirty minutes to get right. I wore dark purple high heels and carried a small black clutch, and my make-up was delicate but smoky.

My eyes were framed with a soft mixture of grays and blacks, and my lips were painted a dark red that was just slightly glossy. I turned around in the dress, smiling as it swirled at my feet. It really was a beautiful dress.

Ten minutes later, the doorbell rang. I took a deep breath and grabbed my purse, going to the door. When I opened it, I smiled at James, who stood there in a black tux with a white shirt and black silk tie. I tried not to let the look he gave me squirm, but the appreciative way he looked at me was slightly disconcerting.

"You look amazing," he said, holding out a single red rose.

"Thank you, James. You don't look too bad yourself," I said, tucking the rose into my upsweep as we walked to his car. He opened my door for me, and closed it behind me when I got in.

When we arrived at Whitehall, he opened my door for me and yet again closed it behind me. He held out his arm, and I took it as we started up the steps. The foyer was beautiful, and we were greeted enthusiastically. Some of the people seemed to know James, and I realized just how well he had done for himself. I assume that you have to be rather far up to know some of the Whitehall staff by name.

Even though the event was very important and it was somewhat pretentious, it felt relaxing after the exhausting meeting at the ARC yesterday morning. We'd had to recap everything that had happened when Nick and Claudia had come through the anomaly, and then there was the team's elated reaction to their return, especially to Nick's.

The meeting itself was thoroughly boring, considering all we did was sit there at a very large table, discussing budgets, promotions, and scheduling future events. I managed to look interested and alert throughout it, but I noticed that one of the women that someone had brought as an escort had nodded off.

The after party, on the other hand, was another matter entirely. There was music playing from an elaborate stereo system, and several couples and friends were dancing in the center of the room, the men guiding their escorts through both simple dances and complicated waltzes. I walked in next to James, staring at the beauty of the party. I had never been to something quite so extravagant.

"This has got to be the most extravagant party I've ever attended," I said to him.

"That's Whitehall for you," he shrugged as if he was completely unaffected by our surroundings. Though honestly, if I thought about it, he'd probably been to several of these kind of parties.

"Would you like to dance?" he offered as the stereo began playing a song by OneRepublic. I only know the band because Connor loves them, and I vaguely recognized the song as "Come Home." It was a beautiful song that made he loved and listened to constantly.

"Sure," I smiled, sliding my hand over his and feeling a strange little shock go through me.

We walked out into the center of the room and I put one hand on his shoulder, he placed one on my waist, and our free hands clasped together as we fell into perfect sync. He was an amazing dancer, and I'd had dancing lessons as a child, and we were swept into a complicated waltz that made me feel like I was flying.

As we moved easily and gracefully across the dance floor, I felt time fade away. I began listening to the lyrics, and found them oddly touching.

_Come home, come home, _

'_Cause I've been waiting for you for so long, so long._

_And right now there's a war between the vanities _

_But all I see is you and me. _

_The fight for you is all I've ever known _

_Ever known._

_Oh, so come home._

I felt the night pass as one song faded into another, and then into another still. Not once did we break apart, we simply glided across the floor together as if we were two halves of a whole. We made wonderful dancing partners, as if we'd been doing this for years, even though this was the first time we'd ever even danced together.

I felt an odd little tingling sensation building under my fingers as our hands clasped tightly together, and I fought to repress it. I was with Danny, and I shouldn't be reacting to anyone else, even though I didn't mean to. Yet even as I told myself that it was in my head, I couldn't repress a smile as he spun me and then drew me back to him.

_Face it, Jenny. You care about him. You have no idea why, but you care about him, _I thought to myself, suddenly overwhelmed with a strange sensation that reminded me of falling. Physically, I was dancing on even ground, but my mind was dizzy with the impression of standing on the edge of something and then letting myself fall. I felt as if I was soaring through the air, and the ground was rushing up to meet me.

_So this is what it feels like to care about two people, even though you're dating one of them_, I thought dazedly. I finally just let my mind go blank again, grounding myself by focusing on James, who was the only solid thing in the spinning world around me.

**Abby**

I danced around the flat to everything that came on the radio, still grinning like an idiot because of when Stephen and I'd had that wonderful dinner here. Connor had said he was going to stay with Lester for awhile, but I'd been too elated to ask why.

I smiled, remembering the way I had walked into my flat after work to find it lit only by probably a hundred candles, and Stephen sitting at the table, a perfect dinner laid out in front of him. We'd eaten and talked and even danced around the flat together for hours. Connor had stayed late at the ARC, so we'd had the flat to ourselves. I can still remember the rush of butterflies in my stomach when he'd given me a quick, brief goodnight kiss. I was floating on a blissful cloud of elation, unable to come down from this sweet high.

I jumped nearly out of my skin when my cell phone rang, and I bounded over to it and smiled when I saw that it was Stephen's name on the caller ID.

"Hey," I said, sitting on the edge of the table.

"Hey there gorgeous. What are you up to?"

"Not much," I lied, omitting the fact I'd just been dancing around my apartment.

"We should go out tonight," he suggested.

"I would love to," I said, running over to my closet so I could change out of my tank top and boy shorts.

"Great. How about we go out to eat?"

"That sounds perfect. Formal or casual?"

"Hmm…formal," he decided.

"Alright. I'll see you in, what, about an hour?"

"An hour it is. See you soon," he said, hanging up.

I stared at my wardrobe, biting my lip. I had _nothing_ formal. I had plenty of skirts and I had one mini dress, but none of it said formal. I picked up my phone to call Jenny, but remembered she was at the Whitehall meeting. I didn't want to interrupt, but I wanted to ask her if I could borrow a dress.

Finally deciding to call, I dialed her number and smiled when she picked up on the second ring.

"Hey Jenny, it's Abby. I was just wondering if maybe I could borrow a dress," I asked, crossing my fingers.

"Of course. There's a spare key under the mat in front of the door. Borrow anything you like," she said much to my relief.

"Thank you, Jenny. You are a lifesaver!"

"It's no problem. I'll see you later," she said, hanging up.

I closed my phone and threw a pair of jeans on, and after I slid my shoes on I dashed out the door, car keys in hand. I climbed in my small car and drove to Jenny's apartment, which thankfully wasn't too far away. I had one hour to find a dress, go home, and get ready.

Once I was inside, I went straight to the closet inside the bedroom. The apartment was small but expensive looking, so I found the bedroom quickly. As I passed the dresser, I noticed a framed picture sitting on it. There were several, but this one caught my eye.

It was of her and Lester, and unsurprisingly, she was the only one smiling at the camera. He just stared, looking bored as usual. I wasn't sure when it'd been taken, but I could tell that she'd held out the camera to take the picture from the way she was positioned. It looked like it had been taken outside, probably outside the ARC.

I couldn't help but notice how young and happy she looked in the picture, so unlike the serious woman that left two years ago. She was still amazing at her job, but she didn't seem as weighed down by Claudia Brown as she had been. And unless it was just me, which I didn't think it was, her and Lester had become closer.

Tearing my gaze from the picture, I went through I her closet and quickly found a periwinkle blue ruffled cocktail dress and the matching shoes. We were the same size, thank god. I threw it over my arm, grabbed the shoes, and drove back to my apartment like a bat out of hell.

**Lester's P.O.V.**

As the next song started, I immediately chose it as my favorite of all the ones I'd heard so far. It was acoustic, and Jenny told me the name of the song was called Bloodstream. It was slow, perfect for dancing. I'm not sure how long she and I had been dancing, it could have been hours or minutes. I hadn't danced in years before tonight, but she made an amazing partner.

We moved together in a unison that felt as if we were two candles flames merging into one, and our bodies were the tendrils of smoke moving and swirling in a strange, almost ethereal perfection. I'd had years of tedious dance lessons forced on me as a boy, so I knew about every classical dance in the book.

As I spun her and brought her back to me, I bent her back over my arm, and she bent back into a graceful, agile position that no woman without lessons could have managed. I leaned over her, and she remained bent over my arm with one hand on my shoulder and the other arm stretched out behind her. Time seemed to slow to a stop as the lyrics hung between us, slow and almost haunting.

_I think I might've inhaled you_

_I can feel you behind my eyes_

_You've gotten into my bloodstream_

Our eyes were locked together, and we were so close that I could feel her breath against my face. It was as if we were suspended in the moment, unable to move, unable to look away. I tried to remember everything I had been teaching myself since I was a teenager about being detached and unfeeling, but somehow our faces still came closer still.

_I think I might've inhaled you…_the words echoed in my head as I felt every feeling for her I had been suppressing come to the surface, unwilling to remain hidden any longer. The fingers of my free hand traced the side of her face as if they were acting on their own accord, and I slid my hand behind her neck as I began drawing my face even closer to hers. I just barely felt my lips brush against hers when she spoke.

"We can't," she whispered hoarsely, jolting me out of my trance. I pulled her back upright, making us both dizzy from the suddenness.

"We should go," she said, looking like she was trying to regulate her breathing.

"I'll take you home," I said, barely regaining my composure.

What on earth had I been _thinking_? She was with Danny Quinn, and I was too damn busy to worry about my little infatuation with her. Tomorrow was Saturday, so I could go to my brother's house to see the kids. They'd stayed with him since the divorce, and I only managed to see them on the weekends.

The two oldest of my children, one was twenty-four and one was nineteen, lived on their own, but my youngest was living with my uncle and they all stayed there on the weekends so I could see them. My youngest child, Elizabeth, was only eleven and sometimes I worry that she thinks that she doesn't matter to me. I'm not exactly what you would call softhearted, but she _is_ my daughter.

She looks just like me, with brown hair and brownish green eyes. When she was very little, about five or six, she'd told me she wanted to grow up and be just like me. I had laughed, trying to picture my sweet, loving daughter as a government official. I shudder at the thought of her working at the ARC, surrounded by the dangers of creatures and anomalies.

After I dropped Jenny off at her house and went back to my apartment, I was tired and ready to go to bed. We hadn't said a word to each other the entire ride home, and she'd only given me a curt goodnight before going into her apartment.

I walked in to find Connor already asleep, so I went straight to my room. I looked at the nightstand, which held a framed photo of me and my three kids. It had been taken two years ago, three months after the divorce.

My son, who was twenty-two at the time the picture was taken, stood beside me with his arms folded, smirking at the camera. He had his mother's blue eyes and my brown hair, looking every inch James Peregrine Lester the Second. My oldest daughter, who'd been seventeen, was a spitting image of her mother, with pale blond hair and crystalline blue eyes. Her name was Sarah Marie Lester, and she was just as elegant as her name.

A small pang went through me at the sight of my children, who I hardly ever got to see. I knew that neither of my daughters resented me for not being there, but my son was whole different matter entirely. He blamed me for not being there more, not that I could blame him. I know I should've been there for all of them more.

I kicked off my shoes, loosened my tie, and shrugged my jacket off. I collapsed tiredly onto the bed, raking my hand through my hair. I closed my eyes, trying to find some reassurance in the fact that tomorrow I would see Elizabeth, James, and Sarah.

"_No one knows what it's like to feel these feelings like I do." _~The Who

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**I know that for one, in the show that he's supposed to be married, but I figured I would make him divorced to make this fic work. Also, we never knew details on the kids, so I made them up. The next chapter will have Stephen and Abby's date, and more on why the anomalies are opening up to more recent pasts.**

**And as always, thank you so much to my amazing readers!**


	8. So Yeah We're Going Down

_"This is a good family going through a difficult time." _~Don Bosch

**Lester**

When I pulled up at the house, Sarah was already sitting on the front steps. She looked as immaculately groomed as always in black slacks, a white blouse, and black pumps. She bounded off the steps as I got out of the car, and as always, she flung herself at me.

After awhile, I had learned to catch her, but the first time she'd done it she had knocked me over. Now, I easily supported her weight, and I inhaled the familiar scent of her, which was a mix of honeysuckle scented shampoo and Baby Phat Golden Goddess perfume.

"I'm so glad you're here," she said, her voice muffled because she spoke against my shoulder. She'd been doing incredible for herself, she was going to law school to become an attorney, and she had a very nice sports car that I'd bought her for her sixteenth birthday.

"So am I," I said, helping to sit her down on her feet as she let go of my neck. I wasn't much taller than her, but I still had a few inches on her.

"Daddy!"

I glanced up at the sound of Elizabeth's excited cry, and barely had time to brace myself before she launched herself at me just as her sister had. She was strong for a little thing. I smiled and ruffled her hair, which she hated. She playfully glared up at me, and I swung her up as easily as always.

"So, can I work with you yet?" she asked as I carried her in the house with Sarah trailing us. She'd been asking me that every time I came home for weeks now. Don't get me wrong, she's far smarter than most girls her age, but she's still for too young to even be considering working, let alone working at the ARC.

"Not yet," I laughed, giving her the same answer I always did. She sighed in frustration and folded her arms, the same pose I assumed when I was exasperated. I sat her down when we went inside, and Sarah went into the kitchen to fix tea.

"Well, well, well. Look who decided to grace us with his presence," drawled a voice behind me. I turned around to see my son walk in, his hands in his pockets. He apparently couldn't decide if he wanted to be preppy or rough, so he was an odd mix of both.

He wore an un-tucked white button down, a beat up leather jacket, faded jeans, a tie, and sneakers. He never had been able to decide how he wanted to dress.

"Hello, James," I sighed, leaning against the arm of the armchair to my left. He glared at me, his eyes narrowing to two thin, blue slits. His hate was clear in his eyes, and I was glad when Sarah walked in, breaking the tension.

"James, would you like some tea?" she asked, turning to her brother after handing me mine. He shook his head and walked into the kitchen, and I wearily folded myself onto the couch, taking a sip of the too hot tea and burning my throat.

"So, how's work been?" she asked, perching on the arm of the couch.

"A bit tiring, but nothing more than usual," I said, failing to mention the fact I was attacked by a future predator, had almost died, and that my clientele occasionally came from the Crustaceous period.

"Where _do_ you work, anyway? You say that it's government, but you never elaborate," she said, her brow furrowing. She tilted her head to one side, causing her long blond hair to fall over her shoulder. She fixed me with her perceptive, worried eyes, and I hated the fact I couldn't tell her the truth.

"You can tell me anything," she added as if reading my mind.

"I know," I said, trying to be evasive.

She lifted one eyebrow at me, seeing right through my nonchalant façade. As I studied her, I recalled every single time I had told one member of the team or another about the importance of not telling civilians about the ARC and what it was. It simple wasn't safe, not for them or us.

"I can't tell you," I admitted, at least deciding to tell her that much of the truth.

"Why not? If it's that secretive then you know I wouldn't tell anyone," she said persistently.

"I am not _allowed_ to tell you. If I did, I could lose my job."

She blinked, obviously surprised. Whatever she'd been expecting, it probably hadn't been that. Her blue eyes, so much like her brother's, narrowed to two suspicious slits. They didn't hold the hate and malice that her brother's had, but I could see a mixture of suspicion and worry.

"Well then," she sighed, getting to her feet and starting to pace, just as I always did.

"If I could tell you, I would," I said, getting to my feet and putting my hands on her shoulders.

She smiled slightly. "I know you would, Daddy."

Both of my daughters still called me that, which was something James loves mocking them about constantly. He loves his sisters to death, but he also loves annoying them every chance he gets.

I walked into the kitchen to put my glass in the sink, and bit my lip when I noticed James was standing at the window, arms folded across his chest. I silently placed my glass in the sink and then walked over to him.

"What do you want?" he asked quietly, fixing me with a icy stare.

"I just want to talk to you," I said, trying to keep from showing my exasperation. He was as stubborn as I was when he wanted to be.

"What's there to talk about?" he demanded coldly, shoving my shoulder roughly as he walked off. I stared after him, wishing more than anything that I could mend things between us.

**Stephen**

"This is the most amazing date I've ever been on," Abby said, smiling and looking radiant as we slow danced in the center of the restaurant. She looked stunning, even more than usual.

"Good to know," I smiled, spinning her and bringing her back to me.

We danced the night away before I finally drove her back to her flat, and I leaned in to kiss her goodnight when we reached the doorstep. What was supposed to be a brief kiss deepened immediately, and before I even realized what I was doing, I had her backed against the door, and my lips were moving down her neck.

She made a noise of pleasure, and I brought my mouth back to hers as she buried her fingers deep in my hair. I wrapped one arm around her waist, and used my free hand to teasingly run my fingers down her side. I brought my hand closer to the edge of the dress at the top, but she tensed up and pulled away.

"Stop," she gasped breathlessly, moving away from me.

"Tease," I said, only half joking and trying to refrain from showing my slight irritation.

"Goodnight, Stephen," she said, going into her apartment.

**Abby**

When I got inside, the first thing I did was kick my shoes off and pull out my cell phone. I wanted to call Connor, but after the way I'd been neglecting him lately it wasn't exactly fair to call him and pretend nothing had happened. If I thought about it, I hadn't been too nice to him ever since I'd started dating Stephen.

Finally deciding just to deal with all of it tomorrow, I changed into a tank top and boy shorts and collapsed tiredly into the bed. I hadn't meant to upset, let alone tease, Stephen, but I just wasn't ready for things to go beyond kissing yet.

I really cared about Stephen, but part of me missed the way that Connor had always made me feel so safe, and never got mad at me. It was selfish to want to talk to him after the way I'd treated him as if he was invisible these last few days, but it felt wrong not confiding in him.

We'd been close almost from the start, and I hated the way I only saw him at work, and even then we were so busy trying to figure out why these anomalies were leading to more recent pasts that we hardly had time to talk at all. Even when we did talk, it was slightly distanced, and a little awkward. I knew that if I needed to talk to him, that he would want me to call, but I still felt bad treating him so bad these past few days and then just expecting him to be my usual tried and true safety net.

I finally decided to call him and apologize and hope he would talk to me. I dialed his number and exhaled in relief when he picked up on the third ring.

"Connor, it's Abby. Look, I know I've been really awful to you these past few days and I wanted to apologize. I'll completely understand if you want nothing to do with m-"

"Abby, relax. It's fine. Everything's alright, we're alright. What's wrong? You sound really upset," he said, and I could have cried in relief. As usual, he was there for me.

"Thank you, Connor! You have no idea how much that means to me that we're alright. I actually do need to talk to you about something," I said, taking a deep breath before continuing, "I'm not ready to do more than kissing with Stephen, and he thinks I'm a tease," I admitted awkwardly.

"If you're not ready for anything more than kissing then just tell him. If he gets mad then maybe he's not all you thought he was cracked up to be," he said gently, the sympathy and worry in his tone taking the edge out of words that could have easily sounded harsh.

"You're right," I sighed, already starting to feel better. "Thanks, Conn."

"Anytime," I said, and I could practically hear him smiling through the phone.

"I'll talk to you tomorrow," I said.

"Alright. See you then," he said, hanging up.

I hung up and placed my mobile on the nightstand. I burrowed deep under the covers before finally falling asleep. My final waking thought was that until now, I hadn't realized just how much I needed Connor.

**Jenny**

Me and the rest of the ARC team were sitting in the main room, yet again discussing the new anomalies when Becker, who was the only one that hadn't showed up yet, walked in.

"I hate to interrupt, but we have a young man at the gates, saying Lester will let him through," he said, glancing over at James.

"Who is he?" James asked impatiently, listing his eyebrows.

"He won't say, he just glared and told me to tell you to let him the hell through and then he'd tell everyone who he was. He's got brown hair, blue eyes-"

"Oh hell," James cut him off, leaning back in the chair he'd taken. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers, something he did when he was exasperated.

"Do you know him, sir?" Becker asked, brow furrowing.

"Hell yes I know him. The idiot out there is my son."

"_All the right friends in all the right places, so yeah we're going down." _~OneRepublic

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**Author's Note:**

**Hi everyone! First of all, let me thank everyone for their awesome reviews, you guys are wonderful! I never expected to get such a positive response, especially because this is my first (and probably not my last) Primeval fan fiction.**

**This chapter is dedicated to the authors of two of my favorite Primeval fics - drodgers89, who writes an amazing Stephen and Abby story called "Elsewhere" and rattychipmunk, who writes an extremely funny fic called "The ARC: Chat Room Conversations." Both stories are totally worth checking out!**

**Thanks again to all of my amazing readers, I love you guys to death! Until next time:-)**


	9. As My Life Flashes Before My Eyes

"_Everybody's watching you now, everybody waits for you now. What happens next?" _~Switchfoot

**Lester's P.O.V.**

"Alright, since Lester's too busy brooding at you, I'll ask: What in the bloody hell are you doing here?" Nick asked James, and I turned to glare at him. I was not brooding, I was simply trying to figure out how he'd found this place.

"I intentionally pushed his shoulder and I slid a microchip under the collar of his suit jacket. It's a tracking device. I followed the coordinates here and now I want to know what this place is," he said simply, crossing his arms and leaning back on his heels. Uh oh. That was his not-taking-an-for-an-answer pose. He was too hardheaded for his own good.

"That was stupid. Clever, but really, _really_ stupid," Danny said, speaking for the first time since James had shown up.

"Ask me if I care. I want to know what the hell's up with this place," he said simply, walking forward and looking Danny dead in the eye, clearly challenging him.

"I think you need to leave," Danny said in a deadly controlled whisper.

"Oh for god's sake this is not the time to play alpha idiot!" I yelled, my temper breaking.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. Jenny looked over at me worriedly, and Connor's eyebrows went up. Well, it wasn't my fault that my son had a way of playing with my temper. We're both far too stubborn to get along.

"I really hate to say it, but Lester's right. Let's just calm down and figure this out like adults," Nick said in a calming tone.

I smiled slightly, happy to have had the recorder on my phone on. The minute he'd said "I really hate to say it," I'd assumed it would have something to do with me being right.

"What are you so happy about?" Nick asked, giving me an irritated look.

"I have my new ringtone," I said, holding up my phone and clicking the button to play it.

"Lester's right," Nick's voice said. Jenny choked back a laugh and pulled out her mobile, dialing my number to test it out. Connor tried to cover his laugh with a very fake cough when Nick's voice yet again said "Lester's right."

"Do you all act like idiots all the time or is this reserved for visitors?" James asked, putting his hands in his pockets and glancing between us all.

"No, it's reserved for extremely annoying sons that show up at the worst time possible," I snapped, tucking my phone back into my jacket. He narrowed his eyes at me and sneered, folding his arms over his chest.

"So, no one ever got around to answering me. What goes on in this place?" he asked, looking around at the team.

"We cannot and will not tell you," Becker said simply, lifting his eyebrows.

"You can and you will. Nobody likes me, so I don't have any friends to tell," he said, giving a triumphant smirk.

"Gee, I wonder why no one likes you," I muttered under my breath.

"What could it hurt?" Sarah, ever the optimistic, said.

"Shall I recite the list or have someone type it up?" I said, lifting an eyebrow.

"Lester, he obviously isn't going to give up until we tell him. Why don't we just save ourselves the heartache and go ahead and fess up?" Abby added.

"'Fess up?' You teenagers and your slang," I muttered.

"I am not a teenager, I am a college graduate!" she said defensively.

"That is not the point. The point is we can't tell him," I said, looking over at Jenny, who was always the first to back me up.

"He's right, guys. One little slip to anyone, and the media gets a hold of it, and we're dead. We were trusted with this job because we can keep it a secret, which means we are not telling this boy about what we do here," she said, tossing her hair with finalization. James scoffed at the "boy" bit, but otherwise remained silent, waiting for the rest of the team's reactions.

"Hey, what about me? I was a civilian and I ended up working here," Danny said, and Jenny glared at him with a you're-supposed-to-be-on-my-side look.

"James is just a kid," I pointed out.

"I am not 'just a kid.' I am twenty-four years old," he spat back.

"He's too young to be a part of this," Jenny said.

"I'm only twenty-three," Connor said, lifting his eyebrows. Jenny and I both shot him looks that said he was so not helping.

"I say we put it to a vote-" Sarah began.

"We cannot put the possible fate of our careers to a vote!" Jenny cried, looking tired and distraught.

"She's right," Nick interrupted. "Let's do it. All in favor of telling James about the ARC raise your hand," he said much to mine and Jenny's shock.

Connor, Abby, Danny, Sarah, and Nick's hands went up, and James smiled widely, looking as cocky and self assured as ever.

"All in favor of _not_ telling him, raise your hand," Nick said, crossing his arms. _This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever done, _I thought, but still lifted my hand.

Mine, Jenny, Claudia, Stephen, and Becker's hands all went up, and the wind went right out of James's sails. He glanced between the two groups, eyebrows lifted.

"It would appear we are in need of a tie breaker," he said, leaning back against the wall. I remained silent, simply because sadly, he was right.

"How about we tell him what we do and then let him decide if he still wants to join?" Abby said, shrugging.

"The issue is not him joining, the issue is him _knowing_," Claudia replied. Nick, even though he was on a different side, gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. I bit back a laugh when James made a gagging motion, which was exactly what I wanted to do.

"So what are we going to do then?" Danny said, ignoring James.

"With these new anomalies opening, we need all the help we can get, and he seems like a smart kid. I say we let him in," Nick said, and even the most cynical of the group (which was mainly me) couldn't disagree with the logic.

I sighed. "Fine, fine," I said, walking over to James. Jenny looked aghast, but I just gave her a head nod that said I knew what I was doing. James and I looked at each other a long time before I finally spoke.

"Welcome to the team."

**Jenny's P.O.V.**

After thirty minutes of showing James (the sequel) around the ARC, I was ready to pull my hair out. He had a smartass comment for _everything. _Talk about like father like son. If it was possible, James The Sequel was even more sarcastic than the original.

"So far my favorite room is the armory," he said as we made our way back to the main room.

"Ah. Of course. All of the men go for the gun room," I sighed, shaking my head.

"Not all. I doubt Dad even knows how to shoot a gun," he scoffed.

"Actually, he can. Once, over two years ago, a traitor let a future predator loose on James and he was completely alone in the ARC when it happened. He had to fight it off with a rapid-fire military rifle," I explained.

Nick had wanted James to explain how the attack had taken place, and we were all a bit surprised at how well he'd handled himself. I shuddered at the thought of that predator getting him. I had seen the bodies after predators got them, and I couldn't imagine finding James in that condition.

"And speaking of traitors, let me explain something to you. If I find out you leaked this to _anyone_, not only will you never set foot in the ARC again, but I _will_ make sure your life is a living hell," I said curtly.

"Got it," he said, leaning against the table that held the A.D.D. He had a cocky smile on his face, and it seemed permanently fixed there.

"So, who's single around here?" he asked, glancing around the room.

"Ask someone who cares," I said, walking off to find Danny, but Sarah told me him and Becker were in the armory. I nodded and leaned against the railing of the ramp that led to the upper offices. I was just about to go to my office to find something to do when the familiar, shrill ringing of the Anomaly Detector reached my ears.

"Alright, James The Second, welcome to your first field experience," I said.

"Can't wait," he said sarcastically, going into the armory and grabbing a large rifle and a tranquilizer gun.

"Do you even know how to shoot those things?" I asked skeptically.

"I've been able to shoot a gun since I was fourteen," he said, walking out of the armory with Stephen and Becker.

"The anomaly's in…oh my god," Connor said as I walked through the main room.

"Where is it?" I asked.

"The British Library."

I felt my eyes widen slightly, and I took off up the ramp and into James's office.

"James, are you coming?" I asked, walking into his office. He was doing paperwork, as usual.

"Why on earth would I do that?"

"Because you said you would help us. Now come on, get yourself a gun and let's go," I said, leaving his office without another word.

For once, he actually listened. He begrudgingly armed himself with the same rifle he'd used against the predator, and simply scoffed at me when I told him we like to try to tranquilize them before resulting to killing.

"If some prehistoric creature attacks me, I am going to shoot it. If you have a problem with that, let me go back to my office," he said simply.

"Fine, but if you get an earful from Nick about messing with workings of the universe, then don't say I didn't warn you," I said as I got into the truck. He slid into the driver's seat after putting the rifle in the back, and I handed him the key.

Becker and Stephen were in one truck, Abby and Connor were in one, Nick and Claudia were in one, and Danny and James The Second were in the other.

"I can't believe there is an anomaly in one of the most highly populated places in London," I said, shaking my head.

I internally groaned when I thought of all the witnesses and how much I would have to cover up with media, not to mention how many casualties there would be. It was the most recognized research library in London.

When we arrived, I got a sick feeling at the sight of the screaming students running from the building. As usual, they screamed "Monster!" and "Beast!" Could no one think of anything more original?

We went in, fully armed, and Connor came up and told us that an entire herd of Acrocanthosauruses were on the loose.

"A herd of _whats_?" James asked, brow furrowed.

"Very large carnivores from the early Crustaceous period," he said as he took off again.

"Wonderful. How very wonderful," I said, immediately setting off to get the building evacuated.

I wasn't even to the main office when someone shoved me down, and I looked up to see three Acrocanthosauruses surrounding me and James, who had pushed me down. We got to our feet and stood back to back, guns cocked and at the ready. They edged closer, and I felt the report from James's rifle shake our bodies. He shot until the one closest to us fell, and I began firing at the other two.

"We're going to be fine," I said, not knowing which one of us I was trying to reassure.

"Somehow I doubt it."

Well, so much for optimism.

**Connor**

As I walked slowly down the aisle between two bookcases, I wondered anxiously where Abby was. These things were huge, and there were mean. I knew she could take care of herself, but I still worried myself sick.

I snapped my head up at the sound of a heavy footstep behind me, and I felt the blood leave my face when I realized that nothing human had made the noise. When I looked up, trembling, I was staring up into the eyes of a Acrocanthosaurus.

Then it all went black.

"_As my life flashes before my eyes, I'm wondering will I ever see another sunrise." _~Rihanna

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**Author's Note:**

**First off, let me say sorry for how boring this chapter is! This is more of a filler than anything, but the next chapter highlights more of the Connor/Abby/Stephen and Danny/Jenny/Lester triangles, and also will have some Nick/Claudia. **

**As always, thanks to all of my amazing readers!**


	10. We Don't Talk But That's Okay

*****My editor drodgers89 pointed out some errors in this chapter, so I re-posted it with those fixed. Sorry for the problems!**

"_Love of mine, someday you will die, but I'll be close behind. I'll follow you into the dark." _~Death Cab For Cutie

**Abby's P.O.V.**

Connor. Oh my god. _Connor._

I would know that scream anywhere. That scream would haunt me for as long as I live, permanently engrained in my worst nightmares. His scream was a cruel, pain filled mockery of his upbeat, accented voice. A voice that, judging from the terror in his scream, I may never hear again.

I took off running in the direction of the scream and found him lying between two bookcases, blood soaking the entire left side of his upper body. The creature that had attacked him was nowhere to be found, but I was too distracted at the sight of him laying before me, bloody and unconscious.

"Somebody help! I need a medic team _now_!" I yelled, gasping at the size of the wound in his side, shaped almost like a huge bite mark. A wave of nausea overtook me when I realized that was probably exactly what it was.

James The Second was the first to run over, and he immediately set to work on Connor. He pulled his black tank top off and tore it into strips, wrapping the wound. He was silent and concentrating completely, and I watched with a growing sick feeling as blood pooled on the floor. Connor's blood.

With one hand still holding his shirt to the wound, he pulled out a cell phone and dialed 911, explaining that a man had been attacked, was bleeding severely, and needed medical attention as soon as possible. Like his father, James The Second was totally calm in life threatening situations.

I wanted to ask if he thought Connor would be okay, but I feared that I wouldn't like the answer. So I stood silently, biting my nails. I asked him if there was anything I could do to help, but he shook his head.

It could have only been minutes later when the paramedics finally arrived, but it felt like hours. Nick and I rode with Connor in the ambulance while the rest of the team handled the anomaly and the creatures. I took his hand in mine, shuddering at how cold and limp it felt in mine. Nick looked like a father seeing his son mortally wounded, and he trembled as he ran his fingers through his unruly blond hair.

_You can't leave me, Connor, _I thought, squeezing his hand.

**Lester's P.O.V.**

Jenny and I were exhausted and sore from shooting down the creatures circling us, and she leaned heavily against the wall, trying to catch her breath. I pulled my comb from my inner pocket and pushed my hair back into place, and Jenny glared.

"Now is not the time for primping," she said, eyes narrowed.

I simply shrugged and slid the comb back into my pocket, picking my rifle back up from where I'd sat it down after the attack. She also picked her gun up, and we looked around for any more creatures. There weren't any that we could see, but we hadn't checked anything other than the main room yet.

We spun around at the sound of running footsteps, and saw Claudia running towards us.

"It's Connor. He's been attacked, he's on his way to the hospital," she explained breathlessly.

"Oh my god," Jenny whispered.

I felt the blood drain from my face, but I kept my cool, unconcerned exterior intact. I closed my eyes as I remembered Connor just a few nights ago, looking so elated when I told him I was proud of him. He had looked so alive. I couldn't possibly imagine him permanently still and unanimated in death, the mere thought made me shudder in revulsion.

"Will he be alright?" I asked crisply, careful to show no emotion.

"They don't know, he's in really bad shape."

"Was he attacked by one of the creatures?" Jenny asked, looking around to check for any more of them.

"Yes. The entire left side of his torso was bitten into, but I think something startled it and caused it to leave. Thank god, because otherwise he would've been eaten for sure," she said, tucking a lock of long ginger hair behind her ear.

"Let us know if you receive any information on him," I said, striding off to check the upper level for more creatures. Jenny followed suit, and I repressed a pang of concern when I saw how pale and drawn she was.

"I feel sure he'll be fine," I sighed, trying to sound bored and uninterested.

"Don't do that," she said sharply, her eyes yet again narrowing.

"Do what?" I asked, lifting an eyebrow.

"Don't act like you don't care. I know that you care about him. He's the son you never had, James," she said, and I felt my jaw clench at the honesty of her words. I hated it, but she was right. It frustrated me when she knew more about me than I did.

"He is a valuable asset to the team. We cannot afford to lose him," I said simply, picking up my phone to dial Sarah.

After she picked up, I said, "We need you here at the British Library, Sarah. Connor's been injured and we need someone here that can properly seal the anomaly."

"Oh my god, is he okay? How bad was he hurt? What happened?" The words tumbled over his each other, falling into a babbled mess.

"Just get over here. Now," I said, hanging up. She really was a tiresome little woman.

**Stephen's P.O.V.**

Abby and I sat in the waiting room of the hospital while Connor got stitches and they stopped the bleeding, and I felt an instinctive feeling of worry when I saw how pale and drawn she looked. I could tell that she was worried sick about him.

"I'm sure he'll be fine," I said, taking her hand. She laced her fingers through mine and leaned against my shoulder.

"Even the doctors don't know if he's going to be alright, Stephen. I appreciate you trying to make me feel better, but they said that he's lost a lot of blood," she said shakily.

"I'm sure he'll pull through. He's got a lot to fight for," I said, stroking her back.

"He better pull through," she said with a weak attempt at a laugh.

"I know that this isn't the best time, but are we okay? I know I may have pushed a little too hard after our date, but I swear I didn't mean anything by it-"

"It's fine. We're fine," she cut me off, giving my hand a tight squeeze.

**Connor's P.O.V.**

My entire body throbbed. I had no idea where I was. I heard voices, but it took effort to separate them into individual personalities. I concentrated hard and began matching the voices to people.

"He's awake? Oh thank you god, he's going to be alright," said an extremely relieved female voice that sounded close to tears. _Abby. _Her voice was like music to my ears.

"When can we see him?" asked a concerned male voice with a soft Scottish accent. _Nick. _Hearing him had an immediate calming effect on me.

"Let us see him. I can have complete authorization over his room in one phone call, and don't think I can't do it." _Lester._ No one can bark orders better than Lester.

"I am sorry about my colleagues, they are very worried about Connor. But we would very much appreciate it if you could let us through," said a controlled but assertive female voice that had just a hint of a threat under her sensible words. _Claudia._

"Don't make me shoot you," said a male voice, followed by the sound of a gun cocking. _Becker. _I might've have laughed at the thought of him pulling his rifle on a doctor in the middle of a hospital, but I felt oddly detached from my body.

"If you could please just let us-" began a polite, female voice. _Sarah._

"For god's sake just let us the hell through," interrupted a voice not unlike Claudia's, and I thought I heard the doctor stumble as someone, undoubtedly the person speaking, push past him. _Jenny._

I heard a door open, but I couldn't open my eyes. I still felt oddly detached, unable to control my muscles. I felt like I was floating, free of the binds of gravity. I felt pressure, but I couldn't identify where it came from. The harder I thought, I realized I had felt someone lay their hand on mine. A smooth, delicate hand, obviously a girl's. _Abby._

"Connor, you had us worried sick," she whispered softly, wrapping both of her hands around mine.

I felt a hand gently brush the hair from my face, male, judging from the slight roughness of the palm. _Nick._ His hands would be a little rough as long as he'd been working with the anomalies and the creatures.

"Don't let it go to your head, but we were all a bit worried, I suppose." _Lester._

"I, for one, would like to thank you. I've never gotten to pull my gun on someone in public before," said a calm and contented voice._ Becker. _

All the girls went on about how worried they'd been, but the men in the room remained mostly silent.

"Well, we'll give you and Connor a minute alone," I finally heard Jenny say to someone.

"Thanks." _Abby._

I heard several sets of footsteps, a brief pat on the top of my free hand, and then I heard the door close. I assume the brief little gesture, which I had been able to tell was male, must have been Lester. The palms were smooth, unmarked by battle and injuries like Nick's and the rest of the field team's, but definitely male.

"I hope you wake up soon. Knowing that you're going to live is nowhere near as good as being able to hear your voice. God you had me worried," Abby whispered, her voice cracking at the end. She continued speaking, not knowing I could hear her.

"I'm so stupid. I can't believe it took me this long to realize it, but Connor…oh lord I am such a coward. The least I can do is tell you this when you're awake," she said, and from her voice she was becoming frustrated with herself.

"Fine. I'll say it. Simply because I'm not sure I'm brave enough to say it when you wake up. I love you, Connor. You've been there for me when no one else has, you are my best friend and my rock. I'm sorry for all the times I've hurt you or not trusted you. Because no matter how badly I've treated you, you're still there for me. I trust you more than anyone, even more than I trust myself. I could sit here and list all of the reasons I love you - even though you're not awake - but I would be here awhile. So I'm just going to say it one last time. I love you, Connor," she finally finished, her voice more audibly cracking at the end. I could tell she was crying.

I couldn't believe what I'd just heard. She loved me! Finally, after all this time, I had won her over! She _loved_ me! I probably would've gotten up and did a little happy dance, but I was just now slowly regaining a grounded feeling. I started feeling more attached to my body, and I slowly managed to open my eyes.

"Connor!" she shrieked. "How long have you been awake?" she asked, her eyes wide.

"Long enough," I grinned, wanting to squeeze her hand but still too weak.

"How much of that did you hear?" she asked shrilly.

"I've been awake since you guys started arguing with the doctor outside my door," I informed her, biting back a laugh when her eyes widened further.

"You mean that you heard _all of that_?"

"Every bit of it," I said happily.

"Oh. I, um, meant it. I just didn't mean for you to, ah, hear it," she stuttered, blushing.

"Hey Abby?" I said, still slightly doped up on pain medication.

"Yeah?"

"I love you too."

She leaned over and gave my cheek the most feather light kiss before standing up. I was content to spend this little moment with her, while she had seemed to have briefly forgotten about Stephen and the whole rest of the world.

"I'm going to go tell Nick you're awake," she said, a small smile still on her lips.

"Okay," I said, feeling like it was all a dream and praying I never woke up.

**Jenny's P.O.V.**

Connor wasn't ready to be released, and Abby wanted to stay with him, so the rest of us drove back to the ARC. I drove this time, simply because I was wired from fighting off the creatures and then fighting off the media. I think I might've preferred the creatures.

James, who wasn't yet used to going out on the field with us, was bruised and scraped and looked exhausted. But other than that, he was unharmed. He stared out the window, looking as bored as ever, but I could tell he was relieved that Connor was going to be okay. He seemed to have recently developed a bond with the boy, and I was glad that he at least had someone like a son since his own one disliked him so much.

"James, I have a theory to run by you," I began slowly, trying to phrase the scary thought running through my head.

"How much does it cost?"

"This has nothing to do with money," I sighed, shaking my head.

"Oh. Well then what is it?" he asked, turning to me.

"Honestly, it's more of a worry than a theory," I admitted.

"A worry about what?"

"The new anomalies. Everyone from the past has returned. Everyone except for one person…"

"Helen Cutter," he said, finishing my sentence.

I nodded, glad that he'd also thought of it. It had been gnawing at me since Nick and Claudia returned, but I hadn't told anyone else about my fears yet. I didn't like being dependent on anyone.

"If she returns, then we will cross that bridge when we come to it. Right now everything seems mostly safe, but we'll increase the security around the ARC just in case," he said, already picking up his phone to notify the head of security of the change.

I nodded, already feeling safer. I didn't want to be one of those women that had to have a constant feeling of protection, but both mine and my team's safety could be at stake if that woman returned. She had killed her own husband, and I knew that she wouldn't hesitate to kill again to get her way.

When we reached the ARC, the whole team was tired and ready to go home. James went up to his office to find a change of clothes, and the rest of the team scattered to their prospective places. Nick was standing by the detector, arms wrapped tight around Claudia, who buried her face into his shoulder. I followed Danny into the armory, where he was hanging the gun he'd brought back on the rack.

"Hey, Jenny. Are you okay?" he asked, walking over and taking my hands in his. Thankful for the safe, comfortable feeling he provided, I contently leaned against his shoulder when he wrapped an arm around my waist. I closed my eyes and resting my face against the shoulder of his leather jacket.

"I'm fine, but I was worried about Connor," I said.

"He's going to be okay now. Abby's not going to leave his side," he assured me, kissing the top of my head.

Around him, I never felt the need to be guarded. In the beginning, he had infuriated me with his stubbornness, but he'd never made me uncomfortable. I easily let go of my usual sarcasm and hard edges, content to just be with him. It sounded horribly sappy and very unlike me, but I simply enjoyed his company, even when he didn't say a word. He didn't have to. The protective way he held me to him said more than words ever could.

"_We don't talk but that's okay, cause' I hear everything that you say." _~Alexz Johnson

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**Author's Note:**

**Well, that's it for chapter 10. Wow, ten chapters already! Thanks so much to all of the encouragement from my amazing readers, and a special thank you to drodgers89, because without her insisting that I did, I would have never posted the first chapter of this fic. There was one little Nick/Claudia moment in here, wrote in especially for Kathryn Hart, who loves the coupling, and the Stephen/Abby moment was for drodgers89, who will always be a Stabby shipper at heart.**

**I am thinking that Connor and Abby will be the ones together in the end, but for now I'll keep Stephen and Abby together. Now that Connor knows Abby loves him, that triangle will become more pronounced, and also the Jenny/Lester/Danny triangle will come to a head soon. Also, for the sake of dramatics, shall we bring Helen back? I hate that woman, but she does dramatic well.**

**Haha enough of my babbling, thanks so much for reading and reviewing!**


	11. We All Live In A House On Fire

"_We all live in a house on fire, no fire department to call; no way out, just the upstairs window to look out of while the fire burns the house down with us trapped, locked in it." _~Tennessee Williams

**Jenny's P.O.V.**

Late the next night, after everyone but James and I had left, I wandered into his office before I left.

"Is there anything else that needs to be done before I go home?" I asked, perching on the edge of one of the chairs across from his desk.

"No, you can go ahead and-"

He was cut off by the shrill ringing of the Anomaly Detector. We both shot to our feet and took off into the main room, and I began searching the screen for the location. I couldn't work it as well as Connor, but I knew the general idea.

"It's here again," I breathed. "I'll call the team."

"Good. I'll go do some more paperwork," he said, striding back to his office. I didn't know whether to be amused or infuriated with him.

I called the rest of the team, and they were already on their way; their handheld detectors notifying them of the new anomaly. I went into the armory and armed myself with a tranquilizer gun and a rapid-fire rifle similar to the one James had used at the British Library. I walked back into the main room to find Danny, James's son, Becker, and Stephen had already arrived. Danny said that the rest of the team, except for Connor of course, were on their way.

"Where's the anomaly?" Becker asked, readying his gun.

"Here. I'm just not sure where in the building," I explained, walking back over to the detector.

Sarah, who had just walked in, walked over and glanced at the screen. "It's in the lab," she said after hitting a couple buttons to zoom in on the screen.

"Let's go," Stephen said, nodding to Becker and James The Second.

They left for the lab, and the rest of us quickly followed suit. We walked into the lab and found an anomaly in the center of the room, bright and glittering.

"There's no creatures," Abby, who had just arrived, said. I imagine it must have taken some convincing to get her to leave Connor, even briefly.

"How strange," I said, my brow furrowing.

I snapped my head up at the sound of someone crying out, and I ran out of the lab when I realized that it had come from James's office. I ran into the main room and immediately started cough as a wave of smoke reached my lungs. It emanated from his office, and I gasped at the sight of fire.

James lay unconscious on the ground in front of his desk, and fire was starting to consume his entire office. Someone had obviously lit it, and also knocked him out. That would explain why he'd cried out. I took off into the burning office, feeling my eyes sting as the smoke choked me. I choked and gasped as I ran over to him.

"Jenny no! You're going to get trapped!" I heard Sarah yell, but I ignored her.

All I could focus on was saving James. I slid my hands under his arms and began dragging him out of the office, stumbling under his weight. I heaved and pulled, feeling myself go dizzy. _No, you can't pass out, not now. Not until you save him, _I thought, blinking as I was overtaken by a wave of light headedness. I glanced around in all directions, wanting to scream in frustration when I saw the doorway already engulfed in flames.

I knelt down beside James, laying his head on my lap. He was pale, and out cold. I had no idea how I could get him out while he was awake, let alone unconscious. There was no way I could get us out of here, not without finding another exit. I glanced between him and the wall of glass that overlooked the main room, an idea forming in my head.

Laying him as gently as possible on the ground, I ran over to his desk and picked up his deck chair, using all of my weight to throw it through the window. The glass shattered with a loud crash, and I ran back over to James. I again hooked my hands under his arms and began dragging his limp body towards the window, my arms aching from the strain.

I tried to avoid cutting us on the jagged pieces of glass that still clung to the bottom of the long window, but the rough edged pieces still nicked us as I pulled him over the edge and onto the platform overlooking the main room. We were out of the now fully engulfed office, but the smoke still threatened to choke us. I was dizzy and lightheaded, trying to keep myself from passing out. Right now, it was adrenaline alone keeping me on my feet.

Becker came running up the ramp to take James from me, and I gratefully shifted his limp body into Becker's arms. He held James's weight easily, and I think he may have said something to me, but the shrill ringing of the smoke detectors drowned him out. I noticed Danny coming up beside Becker, but I was beginning to feel oddly…light. Like I could simply fly over the railing and out of the ARC.

"Hang in there, Jenny," Danny said. It wasn't until he said for me to hang in there that I realized I was on the verge of passing out. I swayed on my feet and wrapped my fingers around the railing to steady myself. The railing was scorching hot, and I yelped as I pulled my hand away.

"Is he going to be okay?" I asked, my voice scratchy from all the smoke I'd inhaled. I looked worriedly down at James, who was completely and scarily limp.

"He's inhaled a lot of smoke. Honestly, it's hard to tell," Becker said as Danny grabbed my arm and began pulling me down the ramp and to the main room, where the smoke wasn't quite as thick. It was lighter, but still dangerous to inhale.

"Where's everyone else?" I asked, gripping Danny's arm to steady myself as another wave of dizziness went over me.

"Nick already got Claudia out, and Stephen's got Sarah out," Danny said as he pulled me towards the exit. He stopped short when he realized the main exit was already fully engulfed.

"What about the rest of them?"

"We don't know. They were in different places when the fire started. I'm going to get you out and then Danny and I are going to look for everyone else," Becker explained as we doubled back across the main room and ran for the back exit.

Well, in their case it was running, it my case it was a lot of stumbling and holding on to Danny. I heard both of them coughing, and shuddered at the danger of all three of us passing out. We would all die, including James.

"It's open. Get out!" Danny yelled over the smoke detectors, pulling me out into the night. I gulped breaths of the cool night air, collapsing onto my knees. I was still severely light headed. Becker laid James down next to me and raced back inside with Danny, leaving James and I alone. He was still unconscious, and I still felt ready to pass out even in the clean air. I had obviously inhaled a lot more smoke than I thought.

I leaned over James and brushed a strand of hair away from his face, feeling sick as I remembered Becker saying that he didn't know if he would be okay. I trembled, clumsily sinking down next to him and falling out of my kneeling position. I couldn't even imagine the world without him in it. Who would be here to make constant sarcastic commentary? Who would be here to know me better than I know myself?

I closed my eyes and thought of everything, from the second we'd met from the last time I'd seen him awake. I remembered walking into the ARC for the first time, and I thought hard until I could remember each individual detail of his appearance that day. Dark red shirt, dark red and pink tie, perfectly form fitting suit. I mentally scrolled through each and every moment, until I came to the last time I'd seen him. He'd been sitting at his desk as usual, looking perfectly alive and well. And now there was a chance that I would never have a chance to speak to him again.

Nausea overtook me again, and I began coughing. I was out of the smoke, but I had inhaled so much and I knew that I wasn't safe yet. I heard sirens nearby and figured that the fire department had arrived, but I noted this with a detached manner. My head ached, and things started blurring. As the strength was drained out of me, I collapsed on top of James, feeling my head land roughly on his shoulder.

Finally, I blacked out.

**Stephen's P.O.V.**

As soon as the fire department arrived, I grabbed one of the men by the arm and pointed to Abby, who was crumpled and unconscious on the ground.

"Take care of her first," I demanded, holding him in a very strong grip.

"Sir, we first need to extinguish the fi-"

"No. Take care of Abby," I demanded, releasing his arm only pull the gun from my back and press the end of it to his head. It had worked for Becker.

"Y-yes sir," he stuttered, eyes wide.

I withdrew the gun and instructed him to be very careful with him, and I watched as he carefully lifted her into his arms and laid her on a stretcher. She was ashen and cool to the touch when I stroked her face, and I suddenly remembered our conversation when I'd been strapped to a gurney after I'd been bitten by a spider. She had been so good to me, so gentle. It wasn't fair to have her taken out of the world.

"I'm going to make sure you're okay. I promise," I whispered, climbing into the recently arrived ambulance with her.

**Abby's P.O.V.**

"_I can't! I love you!… I knew how much you loved him, I didn't want you to be hurt…Sweet dreams…"_

Connor. I was hearing his voice. I was remembering some of the things he'd said to me over time. Which meant…I was awake. I began going through a mental list of questions in my head. Where was I?

I pried my eyes open and found myself in the hospital, with Stephen asleep in the chair next to the bed. Okay, that was one question answered. Now, what had happened?

Someone had set the ARC on fire. Stephen had got me out. I'd passed out in his arms as he carried me outside. I remember thinking that Sarah, Claudia and I were the only ones out. I remember worrying about the rest of the team. About Jenny, Danny, Becker, Nick, of course Stephen, James The Second even though I barely knew him, and I even worried a little bit about Lester. He could be a selfish ass sometimes, but he'd been there for us when we needed him. Alright, another question successfully answered.

The more I tried to figure out and remember, the better I felt. I felt more grounded, more in control. I thought of how Connor's previous words that had echoed in my head when I'd first woken up, and how they'd made me feel more grounded than anything. I needed to figure out what I wanted.

I loved Connor beyond a doubt, I loved him more than life itself. And I cared about Stephen, too. Maybe even loved him. But it hadn't been memories of Stephen's voice that had woken me up. Stephen was fun and wild, and he made me feel alive, but being with Connor always felt like going home. He made me feel loved and safe and important. Even when I didn't deserve his love, it was still there.

**Helen's P.O.V.**

I stood far away from the ARC, well out of sight. I watched it burn with a warm satisfaction spreading through me. I had finally mastered the anomalies, enabling them to lead to recent pasts. I had seen Stephen, Nick, and Claudia, which meant it had worked.

They had managed to put the fire out, which slightly disappointed me. I would have liked to have watched the ARC and all the silly things it stood for burn to the ground.

I wasn't sure who all had died, but I doubted that Whitehall pincushion James Lester was going to pull through. It had been so easy to slip into his office after he went downstairs with Jenny to check on the anomaly, and then knock him out with a hardcover book from one of his shelves. It had actually been rather fun.

Tomorrow, I would make my presence known.

"_Something inexplicable happens, it's a good bet Helen's usually behind it._" ~Nick Cutter

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**Author's Note:**

**Okay, so I know that I don't usually use quotes from the show, but I couldn't think of anything else foe the end of this chapter. And yes, I know that everyone keeps ending up in the hospital, but I figure with the fire then there would be some casualties. The next chapter will (finally) be the start of Connor/Abby, with some Jenny/Lester. When I originally started this fic it was intended to be them together in the end, but I also like her and Danny together. I am a hopeless Lester fan, though (he's my favorite after Connor), so it still may be him and Jenny in the end.**

**LOL enough of my ramblings! Thanks as always to my amazing, wonderful readers, and to drodgers89 who pointed out some errors in chapter 10. All of you are fantastic! **


	12. Time To Drive My Car Too Fast

**Lester's P.O.V.**

When I woke up, I was in pain. My throat and my head especially. I opened my mouth to start yelling at someone, but the awful pain in my through cut me off. I tried to piece together what had happened, and suddenly remembered all of it.

I'd went up to my office and was knocked unconscious from behind, but I figured it was a pretty good bet it had been Helen. Now here I was, with no recollection of what had happened while I'd been knocked out. Wonderful.

I could have kicked myself for it, but after I started regaining my sense, I immediately wondered if Jenny was alright. _It doesn't matter if she is or not. She is just an employee. Jenny is completely expendable, _I told myself, trying to ignore the fact I didn't even believe my own lies. Even as I tried to regain my usual sense of coldness and detachment, I still worried about her.

I opened my eyes and found myself in the hospital, which I didn't like one fractional bit. I hated hospitals. And needles. Mostly needles. I could fight of a future predator, hold my own in a dinosaur infested library, but I _despise_ needles. I think Jenny would probably laugh at me. _And there you go thinking about her again, _I thought disdainfully.

I glanced down at my arm and sighed in annoyance when I saw that I was hooked up to an IV. Thank god I hadn't been awake when they had inserted it. In general, I avoided doctors of all sorts because of my issue with needles. That was one of the many reasons I hadn't wanted them to take me to the hospital after my most recent episode with a future predator. God forsaken needles.

_They must have me on some rather effective pain medication, _I thought as I realized my thoughts were running in circles. I had been thinking about needles and Jenny for the past twenty minutes. My mind felt foggy, unable to concentrate on much of anything.

A young looking doctor walked in and came over to me, tapping his pencil against a notebook. He looked a little bit young to be a fully fledged doctor, he didn't look a day over twenty-five. He was pale, translucently so, and his crystal blue eyes seemed oddly vacant. I had seen eyes like that before, I just couldn't put my finger on where.

"How are you feeling?" he asked in a flat monotone. Damn it, where had I seen all of these traits before? Vacant expression, flat voice. It was on the tip of my tongue, but for the life of me I couldn't place it.

"Oh, I feel _spectacular_. I am locked up in a hospital room, I have no idea what happened after I was knocked out, and I don't have my comb so I can fix my hair. Oh _yes_, I am just _wonderful_," I spat out.

The doctor looked at me calmly, not at all responding to my sarcasm. He looked almost…programmed. Like someone was hitting buttons to operate him. I was dazed by the pain medicine, making it that much harder to figure out why his behavior seemed so familiar.

"Is there anything you need?" he asked in that same monotone.

"Release me. I am just fine, and I would also like to speak to my colleague Jennifer Lewis. Has anyone under that name been admitted?" I demanded, easily falling into my position of barking orders, even drugged by the painkillers.

"I do not know," he said flatly.

A name hovered on the edge of my subconscious, dangling jut out of reach. Damn these painkillers. I concentrated hard, and it suddenly came rushing to me. The answer. Of course I had seen these traits before. The flat monotone, the empty expressions, the programmed responses. I had seen them when Nick Cutter had been cloned. The doctor standing before me was a clone.

I refused to panic. If I did that, he would probably use the IV I was hooked up to and knock me out again with drugs. The clone was undoubtedly controlled by Helen, programmed to keep me from fighting back. Which meant I had to play stupid and act like I didn't know what he was.

"Well go ask someone, you idiot," I snapped, wishing more than anything that I knew where the team was. Especially Jenny and Connor. And sadly, due to my natural paternal instinct, I worried about James. I was trapped in a room with a cloned doctor that was working for a woman that might as well carry around a blinking neon sign that says "Evil Bitch." You could put Helen in a tiny car and sell tickets to the Evil Bitch show. Maybe watch her tame some saber tooth tigers instead of lions. Well, she'd probably make a fortune.

The doctor just looked at me blankly, not at all responding. He looked so normal on the exterior. Tall, with black hair and blue eyes, wearing a lab coat like any other doctor. It wasn't until you looked closer, at the vacant eyes, and listened to the flat tone of voice, that you realized something was wrong. He finally left, and I began forming a plan to escape.

**Stephen's P.O.V.**

After she was released, I told Abby I would drive her back to her flat. We sat in my car, and she was oddly silent. It wasn't like her at all. She'd said that her throat was still sore from inhaling the smoke, but the faraway look in her eyes as she looked out the window worried me.

"Are you alright?" I asked, taking her hand on the console.

"We need to talk," she said softly.

"About?" I prompted.

"Us. I care about you, Stephen. And this thing we have is wonderful, but-"

"Connor," I sighed, pulling my hand away and tightening both of them on the steering wheel. I'd worried that this would happen, prayed that it wouldn't.

"Yes. I'm so sorry, Stephen. It's just that-"

"You love him," I finished, leaning my head back against the seat.

"I never meant to hurt you," she said, getting out of the car when we pulled up at the flat.

"Goodbye Abby," I said, feeling my breath catch in my throat with grief.

"Goodbye Stephen," she said, walking into the flat and leaving me alone in my car.

I sat there, alone, watching as the rain began to fall. How befitting. A perfect reflection of my mood. I banged my hands into the steering wheel, wishing more than anything that I could've had the chance to tell her how I felt.

I stared after her, thinking the words I had been too much of a coward to say. _I love you._

**Abby's P.O.V.**

"I hope everyone's going to be okay," I said as Connor and I sat on the couch in the flat.

I hadn't been severely damaged by the smoke inhalation, and he'd been released shortly after I had. Some of the team had made it out fine, but others were still unstable. Becker, Danny, Claudia, Nick and Sarah were all fine and had been free to go home after being given a quick check-up to check for severe damage, but Jenny, James The Second and Lester were in the hospital. They said Lester would be fine, but Jenny was in critical condition. They didn't know if she was going to pull through. I hadn't heard anything on James The Second yet.

I laid back against the arm of the couch and stretched out, propping my feet on his lap. We had long since become completely comfortable around each other, without the usual awkwardness that goes on between a boy and girl that are alone together. He leaned back against the couch and closed his eyes, looking as weary and tired as I felt.

"How are your stitches?" I asked.

He opened his eyes. "They're fine. A little sore, but fine."

"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you when that happened. I should've been there to help you, but we split up. I'm sorry-"

"Abby," he said to cut me off. He leaned over me and took the side of my face in his hand, the closeness of his face overwhelming me. Our faces were mere inches apart.

"Nothing could have prevented what happened. I would rather you be safe and know that you're safe than have you there, in danger. If something happened to you…" he trailed off, looking pained by the thought.

We remained in silence, the tension between us practically visible. At that moment, we needed no words. Our feelings for each other were mutual and mutually understood, and I found myself becoming lost in his beautiful, dark eyes. His gaze flicked over my face, his love for me clear in his eyes. We felt like two halves of the same person, inseparable and infallible.

He leaned forward and pressed his lips softly against mine, with a sweetness and gentleness that triggered me to respond with an unexpected hunger. I knew that some would probably think it slutty to go from kissing one guy to the next so quickly, but it was different with Connor. I'd known him for years and he made me feel safe and protected.

I tightened my hand in his hair and opened my mouth, and then we were kissing as deeply as we possible could, with all of our building feelings for each other finally surfaced. Our tongues traced each other's, our lips moving in a perfect rhythm. For awhile, I simply forgot about the rest of the world.

**Jenny's P.O.V.**

When I woke up, it was a shock to everyone. Including me. When I pried my eyes open, the fluorescent lights of the hospital room hurt my eyes. I felt awful, my throat hurt, and I was worried about the team. James for the most part, if I admitted it.

The doctor, a kind looking older woman, came in and walked over to me.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

"My throat's a bit sore, but I'm fine. How's the rest of my team?" I asked, aware that we had all been brought in at the same time.

"Who would you like information on first?"

"James Lester." I said it before I could think better of it, though I meant to ask about Danny first. _James was in worse shape than you when you passed out,_ I tried to mentally reason, but deep down I knew it was a lie. It had become my natural instinct to worry about him, a habit I desperately needed to break.

"He'll be fine," she said. I closed my eyes with a sigh of relief, not realizing until then just how worried I had been. I would have never forgiven myself if something had happened to him. I suppose it wouldn't have been my fault, but I would've found a way to blame myself.

"Actually, Ms. Lewis, we were rather shocked when you woke up. We were hoping you would somehow pull through, but the odds were stacked against you," she said, thoughtfully tapping her pencil against her lips.

"When will I be released?" I asked, shifting into a sitting position.

"Well, we'd like to keep you a few days to make sure-"

"I will need to be released sooner than that. With all due respect, ma'am, I can have myself released in one phone call, and the man I would be calling would not be too happy if he was disturbed," I said, omitting the fact that the man I would need to call was currently also a patient. Hopefully she would back off and I wouldn't have to explain why I needed the number to James's room.

"As you wish. Here are your clothes," she said, walking over to a cabinet and pulling out a clear plastic bag containing my clothes.

"Thank you," I said, taking the bag from her as she unhooked me from the IV. She left the room, and I got to my feet and got dressed. I walked out into the hall and asked a nurse for James's room number, and then headed for his room. There wasn't a doctor or nurse hovering by the door, so I hesitantly poked my head in.

James was staring at the ceiling, and if I hadn't known him so well, I wouldn't have known he was fighting panic. The minute he looked at me, I knew something was wrong. I ran into the room, closed the door behind me, and went over to him. Even though something was wrong, it was just so good to see him alive and whole and in one piece.

I took his hand without thinking, knowing he probably thought I'd lost my mind. I normally wasn't so oddly impulsive, but he'd had me so worried before I'd found out he was okay.

"How are you?" I asked.

"_I_ am fine. The doctor that just left my room, on the other hand, not so much. He's a clone, and definitely controlled by Helen. He's acting just like the Cutter clone did. We need to find the rest of the team and get out of here now," he said, pulling the IV out of his arm.

"I'll get your clothes," I said, releasing his hand and running over to a cabinet identical to the one my nurse had gotten my clothes out of and pulling out a clear plastic bag containing his clothes. I tossed it to him and turned around while he got dressed.

"My nurse seemed normal, I don't think she was a clone. Your phone is in the bag with your clothes, so we'll start calling and asking where everyone is," I said as I stared at the wall.

"Yes. I'll call Nick first, he's probably the most likely to know where everyone is." I jumped slightly, not realizing he'd come up behind me. When I turned around, he was standing behind me, as immaculately dressed as always. _Huh. That pain medicine must still be affecting me a little,_ I thought as I noted how well his pale blue tie went with his eyes.

"Let's get out of here before the cloned doctor shows back up," I said, straightening his tie for him, knowing he hated when it was crooked.

We walked out of the hospital so no one working for Helen would see us and report back to her, and he pulled out his cell phone as soon as we were out the door.

"Cutter, I don't suppose you know where the team is?" he said. I couldn't hear Nick's response, but James sighed irritably.

"Well then what do you suggest, that we get ourselves a lasso and try to round them up that way?"

Seeing my puzzled look, he put the phone to his shoulder and said, "He's having lunch with Claudia, he knows who is and isn't in the hospital, but he doesn't know where the ones that aren't in the hospital are. I've met brick walls more helpful."

"Who isn't in the hospital?" I asked anxiously.

"Danny, Becker, Cutter and Claudia obviously, Sarah, Stephen, Connor, and Abby are all free and clear," he explained before putting the phone back to his ear. He looked slightly pale, and I could see the worry in his eyes. _Of course he's worried. His son's the only one still in the hospital,_ I thought.

After he hung up with Nick, we hadn't stood there for five seconds when it started pouring rain. Within seconds, we were drenched.

"Of all the times for me not to have my umbrella," he sighed, tucking his phone in his pocket.

"Come on, we should go to Abby's flat and get her and Connor," I said.

"What a _splendid_ idea. What do you suggest we drive?" he said sarcastically, looking at me expectantly. I sighed, remembering that neither of us had our cars. I looked longingly at a red Ferrari California, which sat in the parking lot with the top down.

"Hmm," James said, tilting his head.

"What?" I asked, following his gaze to the car.

"I have an idea," he said, walking towards the Ferrari.

"What are you doing?" I asked as he slid in the driver's side and began tinkering with wires.

"Hotwiring a Ferrari. Are you coming?" he asked as the engine purred to life. I felt my jaw drop, unable to believe he'd managed to actually get it running.

"Fine. Stay here," he shrugged, pulling his door closed.

Smiling, I slid in the passenger side and buckled my seatbelt. I absently wondered how an American car, with the steering wheel on the left side of the car, had ended up in London. My train of thought was cut off short when he peeled out of the parking lot, and I grinned when I realized just how fast this car could go. Good thing, because we needed to round up the team as quickly as possible. I knew it was raining, but I talked James into leaving the top down. Even though I knew that Helen was back and we were all in danger, I was having more fun than I had in years. The wind blew my hair all around me, and I contently leaned back against the seat.

When we pulled up at the flat, he laid down on the horn, not wanting to be bothered with going to the door. Abby walked out and her mouth fell open just as mine had. When she looked past me and realized James was driving, her eyebrows shot up so high I thought they would disappear into her hair.

"_Lester_? _You _hotwired a car?" she asked, shaking her head disbelieving.

"Don't look so surprised, you halfwit. Go get Temple and get out here," he demanded.

Abby ran inside and came back out with Connor, who looked at the car like it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. It was a look he usually reserved for video games and Abby.

Abby easily swung herself over the door and landing in the tiny backseat, though Connor didn't have quite as graceful of a landing. He tumbled clumsily over the edge and fell on top of Abby, who laughed and shoved him off.

I smiled and looked over at James as he pulled out, watching as the wind blew his hair around his face. Even amidst the fear of Helen and her clones, I felt oddly light. Even though I should be figuring out what we were going to do about Helen, I was having fun. And though he would never admit it, I think James was having fun too.

"_Time to drive my car too fast. Time to walk before I run." _~Alexz Johnson

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Sorry for the somewhat rushed Cabby kiss! I was having some writer's block when I wrote this, sorry if it's terrible! And I would've used a car with the steering wheel on the right side like ones in London are supposed to have, but a red Ferrari California is my dream car and I tend to include it in almost every fan fiction I write.**

**Anyways, thanks so much for reading and reviewing, I couldn't do it without you guys!**


	13. We're Accidentally In Love

_"I'm having a day from hell, it wasn't going so well." _~The Veronicas

**Lester's P.O.V.**

After rounding up the team except for my son, who was still in the hospital, we drove to the ARC to check the damage. Connor, Abby, Jenny and I came in the Ferrari, and the rest followed in their own cars. When we pulled up, I saw a figure leaning against the outer wall.

"I wonder who that is," Jenny said.

"That's what I would like to know," I said, feeling my eyebrows lift when we came closer. Well, that answered my question. I recognized the figure, even from a distance. I could see a tall frame, black hair, and he was wearing a white lab coat. It was the doctor from the hospital.

When we drove up and I turned the car the car off and got out, I could tell from the liveliness in the blue eyes and the relaxed posture that it wasn't the clone. I just wanted to know how he had found us and what he wanted.

"Stay here until I talk to him," I said to Jenny.

Unsurprisingly, she followed me anyway. I walked over to the doctor and studied him, checking for any visible weapon. He seemed unarmed. He peered out at me from under a lock of black hair, staring at me with his icy blue eyes.

"You must be the idiot that hotwired my Ferrari," he said. When he (well, his clone) wasn't speaking in a flat monotone, he had a quiet, husky voice that you almost had to strain to hear. He had his arms folded across his chest, and he spoke with an almost eerie calm.

"Oh. That was your car. Figures," I sighed.

"Who are you?" Jenny, who stood next to me, asked.

"Doctor Joseph Noir. I was knocked out by who I thought to be an escaped mental patient, and then locked in a utility closet. I woke up and I couldn't find my car, so I used my phone to track the GPS, narrowed the buildings down until I realized this is where you were heading, and I've been waiting for five minutes," he explained, tossing his hair from his eyes.

"Lovely. Another Connor Temple," Jenny said as if she was reading my mind. Sadly, she was right, he sounded like another dorky genius. Well, not exactly dorky. His pale skin and tall, thin frame didn't exactly say "dorky" but he was definitely too intelligent for my taste.

"That would be me," Connor said, bounding up.

"Ah," he said simply, nodding slightly. He obviously wasn't very talkative. One trait that definitely made him differ from Connor.

"So how much do you know about us and the woman that knocked you out?" Stephen asked as he walked up.

"Well, considering I was at the British Library working on a thesis when a bunch of Jurassic Park rejects started running around, I think I can safely assume that dinosaurs have a good bit to do with your operation," he said dryly, not looking at all fazed by the fact he'd seen dinosaurs and was talking to people that worked with them. He seemed the type that didn't get fazed by much of anything.

"So why don't you just take your car and leave?" Danny said bluntly.

"I will. Eventually. First I want to know who that woman was. Obviously, from the way you're talking about her, you know who she is," he said, looking between us all.

"Helen Cutter," Abby said, looking cautiously at Joseph, who obviously rubbed her the wrong way.

"Who's this?" Sarah asked as she walked up with Becker.

She looked at Joseph with the same look Abby gave Stephen when they were dating. It was an appreciative, taking-it-all-in sort of look. I suppose women would find the doctor attractive, but at the moment I was hoping Becker wouldn't shoot him. He laid his hand possessively on Sarah's shoulder, even though they weren't technically together.

"This is Joseph Noir," Jenny said.

"_Doctor_ Joseph Noir," he corrected pointedly.

"She's mine," Becker said, pointing at Sarah, who lifted an eyebrow at him.

"As much fun as it would be to stand around and be possessive all day, we need to figure out what we're doing with Dr. Noir," Nick said, walking up with Claudia. I rolled my eyes at their clasped hands, wondering what on earth the team saw in romance. It was painful, pointless, and overrated.

"First of all, I thought I would mention that I have someone with me. Do you really think I got past the gates by myself?" Joseph said, holding his hand up and making a beckoning motion. My son, looking as cocky as ever, walked out from whatever out of the way corner he'd been standing in.

"Hey _Dad_," he said, spitting out the word "Dad" like it was venom.

"Well, we may as well let him in. He obviously isn't going anywhere anytime soon," Claudia said.

"True enough. Alright, fine. Joseph, come with us," I said, leading him and the rest of the team past security.

He looked around curiously as we walked to the main room, looking particularly fascinated by the lab. I heard him asking Connor questions about the rooms and what capabilities the lab had, and Connor rambled on an on until I had a headache.

Jenny held out two pain pills, and I accepted them gratefully. She had a way of being able to tell when I had a headache. I swallowed them dry, which was very stupid seeing as my throat was still raw from inhaling so much smoke. I coughed slightly, clearing my throat.

"You okay?" Jenny asked, resting a hand on my shoulder.

"I'm fine," I said, pushing open the doors to the main room.

"Home sweet home," my son muttered, walking off to the armory. His favorite place in the world, seemingly. Him, Stephen, and Becker had become fast friends. They were quite the intimidating trio. Not to mention the fact Stephen and James's egos almost required their own wing of the ARC.

"Welcome to the ARC, Dr. Noir," Abby chimed, motioning to the expansive main room.

"What's this?" he asked, walking over to the Anomaly Detector Device.

"No touching!" Connor said in a panicky voice, stepping in front of his beloved detector.

"Yes sir," Joseph said sarcastically.

"Wait a second. Joseph, what's your full name?" Nick asked, brow furrowing as he studied Joseph as if he knew him from somewhere.

"Doctor Joseph Alexander Noir," he said.

"You were one of my students years ago. I remember how odd it was because you graduated school early and you were the youngest student in the university," Nick said.

"I'm surprised I haven't recognized you before now, Professor Cutter. I never thought I'd forget that accent," he said, shaking his head. I suppose Cutter's Scottish accent would annoy someone as obviously American as Joseph. His quiet, husky voice had no accent at all. Hell, sometimes Cutter's accent annoyed _me_.

"You always had a headache after my lectures," Nick laughed.

"If the two of you are going to hug, can it wait until later? We still don't know what we're doing about Helen," Jenny said, putting her hands on her hips.

"Thank god someone here has their head on straight," James muttered, pulling a comb from the pocket of his leather jacket to fix his already immaculate hair.

"Unlike you," she muttered, looking at him in exasperation.

"I don't have to have my head on straight. I just have to stand here and look pretty. Which, in case you haven't noticed, isn't difficult for someone that looks like I do," he said, tucking his comb back in his pocket. I have never seen anyone as vain as my son before, he's even worse than Stephen.

**Claudia's P.O.V.**

An hour of arguing and debating later, we'd decided to let Joseph help out in the lab. He already knew about the creatures, and he was obviously very intelligent. And he'd made it very clear that he wasn't going anywhere.

"You sure you're okay?" Nick asked, walking over to me and taking my hand.

"I'm fine. My throat's still a little raw, but nothing too bad," I said.

He nodded and smiled at me, and I returned the smile. He and I weren't _dating_, exactly, but we'd become practically inseparable since we'd went through the anomaly together. I loved him more than anything, and I would die for him, but I knew with Helen being back romance was the last thing on his mind.

We walked out of the ARC and started walking across the grounds, holding hands. The sun glinted off his ginger hair, and I was surprised that I wanted to run my fingers through it, to kiss him. I had been reliving our first and only kiss over and over, remembering every detail, from the warmth of his lips against mine to the smoothness of his palms as he held my face.

I thought enviously of Jenny, who had more men than she knew what to do with. There was Danny, the boyfriend that obviously loved her, and there was Lester, who very obviously cared about her if not loved her. You could take one look at the way he looked at her and see how strongly he felt for her. And judging from the way I'd seen her watching him, it was reciprocated.

"What are you thinking about so hard?" he asked, snapping me out of my reverie.

I blushed. "Nothing at all."

"Liar," he laughed, tugging on my hand to stop me. We stopped walking and turned to face each other, and I gazed up into his amazing blue eyes.

"Come on, Claudia. I know you better than that," he said, brushing a lock of hair from my face.

"I was just thinking," I said evasively, tracing patterns on his hand with my finger. I laughed softly when I remember telling him that sexual harassment was a serious disciplinary offense in the civil service. Even when we'd been trying to figure out the anomalies, he and I'd had fun together.

"About?" he prompted. "This isn't like you to act so shy."

"I am not acting shy!" I said defensively.

"Yes you are. What _are _you thinking?" he asked, shaking his head in exasperation. He didn't look upset or frustrated, just worried about me.

I didn't say a word. I couldn't say a word, nor could I seem to control my actions. I reached forward, took the collar of his shirt in my hands, and kissed him. His strong arms circled my waist, and I sank deeper into the kiss.

"I love you, Claudia Brown," he whispered against my lips.

I smiled, burying my fingers in his thick, silky hair. "I love you too."

**Becker's P.O.V.**

When I left the armory to find Sarah so we could go over some new history book she wanted help researching, I found her sitting in the main room with James The Second. She was laughing at something he'd said, and I felt an irrational pang of jealousy. I had been doing that a lot lately, getting jealous even though I had no right to.

"Having fun?" I asked, walking in with my hands in my pockets.

"Oh yeah. We're having a blast," James said, turning his attention back to Sarah.

"Care to join us?" she asked, glancing up at me.

"It looks like the two of you have it under control," I said, looking pointedly at James.

"I was hoping we could still go over that book," she said, turning those big brown eyes on me. Damn those eyes, which I couldn't say no to if I tried.

I was glad she'd said that, because I'd gotten to the point that I liked when we got new books and she asked me to help her. Abby and Connor's thing was working on the Anomaly Detector Device, Claudia and Nick's thing was sitting in his office and tending to talk for hours on end, and mine and Sarah's thing was pouring over her beloved history books.

"If you're sure your new friend here doesn't mind," I said sarcastically, again glaring at him.

"He was just leaving," she said, turning to James and motioning to the door. I smiled in satisfaction. Ha. She'd kicked him out for me. I smiled triumphantly at him, and he got up and left.

"Are you jealous?" she asked with a smile, pulling her new book from her bag.

"Don't be ridiculous," I said a little bit too fast.

"Becker, you're jealous!" she laughed, playfully shoving my arm.

"So what if I am?" I challenged, sitting down across from her as she opened her book and started scanning the index.

She peered at me over the top of the book, and I could tell from her eyes she was smiling.

"So. Ah, what are we looking for?" I said, motioning to the book.

She immediately shot into something about Egyptian myths, but I was too focused on why I'd gotten so jealous about her spending time with James and the appreciative way she'd looked at Dr. Noir. It wasn't my place to be, but I was oddly possessive of her.

"_We were once upon a time in love, we're accidentally in love. Accidentally in love." _~Counting Crows

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**Author's Note:**

**Sorry if there was too much fluff there in the end, but I wanted to put some more Claudia/Nick and add in some Becker/Sarah. The Claudia and Nick part is dedicated to Kathryn Hart, who is a complete Click lover and constant reviewer, and the Sarah and Becker part is dedicated to rattychipmunk, who loves the couple and writes one of my favorite Primeval fan fictions, "The ARC: Chat Room Conversations." And the part with Joseph is dedicated to drodgers89, who is my sister and my editor. She really helped me develop his character. And also, she writes another one of my favorite Primeval fan fictions, called "Elsewhere." It's an amazing fic, and if you like Stephen and Abby then be sure to read it!**

**And of course, thank you to my amazing readers and reviewers, you guys are fantastic as always!**


	14. This Is War  Part 1

"_How can you just walk away from me, when all I can do is watch you leave?" _~Phil Collins

**Jenny's P.O.V.**

"Is everything alright?" I asked as I walked up to Danny, who was hanging up his phone with a look of worry. He stood in the middle of the locker room, staring down at his mobile.

"No, actually. I've got to catch a plane to America."

"Why?" I asked, shaking my head.

"My mom's sick. I need to get on a plane as soon as I possibly can," he explained, pulling his clothes from the cabinet labeled with his name and throwing them in a duffel bag.

"I'm so sorry, Danny. Is there anything I can do to help?" I offered.

"No, she just needs someone to…stay with her," he said, zipping up the bag, slinging the strap over his shoulder, and dialing a number on his phone. I stood there while he reserved a flight that left in four hours, biting my lip. I was worried for him. His mother was terminally ill, from the sounds of it.

"I've got to run home and finish packing. It may be awhile before I'm back," he said as he hung up the phone.

"Let me know if you need help," I said.

"I will, thanks Jenny. Actually, could you let Lester know I'm leaving for a bit?" he asked as he walked out of the locker room.

"Of course," I said, walking next to him.

"I probably won't be stopping by again before I go to the airport, so I'll go ahead and say bye to everyone. Dr Noir is picking some cousin up from the airport, so I'm just going to ride with him," he said, stopping and turning to me.

"Okay. Well, I'll see you when you get home then," I said, giving him quick goodbye kiss.

"Alright. We'll keep in touch," he called over his shoulder as he walked into the armory.

"Of course," I said, leaning against the wall and sighing. While I had never been overly dependent on a man, I would still miss him.

"I would ask what was with the long faces, but I never quite understood the saying," Joseph said as he walked up. Even though he wasn't in a hospital, he still wore a lab coat. It seemed to be a permanent fixture with him.

"I'm fine," I said defensively.

He lifted his eyebrows but didn't say anything, just stood there and looked at me.

"What are you staring at?" I snapped, on edge from a lack of sleep and from the stress of Helen being back. I know he really hadn't done anything, but his overly calm personality was grating on my nerves.

"Nothing. I was just waiting for you to say something. I tried to say something and you snapped at me, so I was waiting for you to start a conversation," he said simply.

Sighing in exasperation, unable to stand there and talk to the very strange doctor any longer, I walked off to my office, where I collapsed into my chair. I leaned my head back against the back of it, feeling tired and weary but knowing the day was far from over. The walking personification of evil was walking around on two legs, for god's sake.

"Everything alright?" James asked, sticking his head in.

"Yes, why?" I asked, sliding back into my composed, detached façade.

"You're bothered about something. What's wrong?" he asked, walking over and leaning against the side of the desk.

"Well, Helen Cutter's back, Danny's leaving, and-"

I was cut off by the loud ring of the Anomaly Detector, which was followed closely by a high pitched scream, and he and I looked at each other in shock. In an instant, we were out of the room and running towards where we'd heard the scream. We took off into the lab and found an open anomaly, and the place where Sarah had been sitting, pouring over books, empty.

"We have to follow her. Round up the team," James said.

I nodded and found everyone except for Danny and Joseph, who had already left for the airport. When I told Becker she was missing and presumably on the other side of the anomaly, a look of pure fear passed over his face, hardening his features.

"Are you ready?" I asked James as I loaded my tranquilizer gun.

"Let's go," he nodded, picking up his weapon of choice, an AK47, the same gun he'd used to fight off the future predator.

We stepped through the anomaly, followed closely by the rest of the team, and found ourselves somewhere almost civilized. We stood on an old road, and there were no creatures in sight. I looked around skeptically, and was shocked to see a horse and carriage approaching. We all ducked back into the shadows, watching in surprise as a woman in a corset gown emerged from the carriage and started up a winding path that presumably led to her home.

"Oh my god. We're in the eighteen hundreds," Connor whispered.

"No, really? I thought the carriage was because they were going green. Of _course_ we're in the eighteen hundreds, idiot," James said, leading us out onto the old road again after the carriage was out of sight.

"So how are we going to find her?" Abby asked, looking around.

"My guess is she was kidnapped by Helen, so we just look for two sets of footprints," James The Second suggested, shrugging. I glanced down at the road under our feet, which was marked only by tracks made by horses and carriages. It would be easy enough to pick out two sets of footprints.

"We'll find them faster if we're not traveling on foot," Becker said in a deadly controlled voice. I could tell he was trying to retain his anger and fear, and his knuckles were white as he gripped the large rapid fire rifle in his hands.

"Any suggestions? I don't see any Ferraris I can hotwire," James said, leaning back against a tree.

"Huh. I may have an idea…" Becker murmured, glancing over at a nearby farm. "Wait here. I'll be right back."

When he returned, he was leading several horses by a rope linked between their necks. I lifted on eyebrow skeptically, and I heard James sigh in exasperation. But sadly, we had no other options.

"I'm glad I learned how to ride a horse when I was a boy," Nick said, helping Becker slide the rope from the horse's necks.

He swung up onto one and pulled Claudia up behind him, and she hooked her arms around his waist, looking as comfortable and trusting as could be. James The Second and Stephen swung up onto one, Stephen agreeing to put James The Second up front since he was the one that knew how to ride a horse. Connor helped Abby onto one and slid on behind her, more than happy to let her handle the steering. Becker hoisted himself up onto one, riding alone because no one could get on behind him with that gun strapped to his back.

"Looks like it's you and me, Jenny," James sighed, looking at the remaining horse.

"It would seem so," I said as he pulled himself onto it.

He held out his hand, and I took it, nodding in thanks as he pulled me up behind him. I fumbled awkwardly for a moment, not used to being so close to someone. I rested my hands at my sides, but as soon as the horses started picking up speed, I had to put my arms around his waist for support to keep from falling off.

Nick and Claudia led the way, with her pointing out the two sets of footprints to Nick, who followed them easily. And to my surprise, James was wonderful on a horse. He guided it effortlessly, and I only had to hold on for dear life when we took sharp turns, which caused even him to have to tighten his grip on the horse's mane. I was surprised at how relaxed and comfortable I was, riding behind him with my arms around his waist.

"I think we've got our place," Nick called back to us, stopping a few feet from an old barn.

Becker took a deep breath before speaking. "Let's check it out."

**Joseph's P.O.V. **

I was sitting in the lab at the ARC, reading some of the reports on anomalies, when I noticed something out of the corner of my eye. The anomaly was shrinking and yellowing, and I remembered from one of the reports I had read that it meant that it was closing.

When I had gotten back from the airport, everyone was gone, and there had been an open anomaly in the lab. I had no idea what to do with an open anomaly, and I didn't know if I was supposed to follow them through, so I remained near the anomaly, a report folder in my left hand and a gun in my right in case any creatures came through.

Dropping the folder onto the table, I got to my feet and walked over to the anomaly. I studied it for a moment, debating. I finally decided to go through, if they got stuck then I'd get stuck with them. I couldn't just sit here and do nothing while they battled god-only-knows what and were possibly injured.

I stepped through the anomaly, and I'd barely reached the other side when I felt fingers close around my ankle and yank me back into the ARC. When I glanced up, I saw the same woman that had knocked me out, Helen Cutter, standing there, dragging me back. I kicked her off and aimed my gun at her, prepared to shoot. From the sounds of what the rest of the ARC team had told me, this woman was evil in its finest.

"What do you want?" I asked.

"You're wasting your time, Dr Noir. That anomaly is almost closed, and they're too far from it to reach it in time," she explained, reaching out at incredible speed and closing her fingers around my wrist, the one that held the gun, and twisted it so fast I felt bones crack. I fought back a scream and dropped the gun, feeling agonizing pain shoot up my arm. I clutched my wounded wrist, looking around for any sort of weapon. She picked up the gun and studied it thoughtfully before clicking the safety off and holding it up to my head.

"Come with me, and there won't be any problems," she said, pressing the muzzle to my forehead.

"What do you want with me?" I asked.

"You obviously have a very good mind. I could use someone like you. Maybe more than one of you," she said with a very wicked smile.

She was standing only a little over a foot from me, her head tilted as she gave me a cold, calculating look. Refusing to go down without a fight, I brought my uninjured wrist up into the side of the gun with as much force as I could and heard the satisfying clanging noise as I knocked it across the room. Helen wrapped both hands around my throat, and I gasped and choked as I slowly lost my ability to breathe.

_Come on, think, Joseph, _I thought as I started becoming dizzy. I used my leg and kicked a nearby chair into her, successfully knocking her away from me. I ran out of the lab and down the hall, taking off into the armory. I panted, reaching down to clutch my wrist again. It was very obviously broken in several places, and I could hear the sickening sound of shattered bones shifting when I moved it. Damn she was strong. No wonder the team was so afraid of her.

"Come out come out wherever you are," she sang tauntingly, walking into the armory. I was crouched down behind one of the gun racks, out of sight. I held my breath, trying to make myself as silent as possible. Apparently convinced I wasn't in the armory, she left the room and I heard her heels click against the floor as she moved on down the hallway.

I suddenly remembered Connor telling me about his Anomaly Sealer, he'd mentioned that he kept it in the armory, contained in a large silver trunk. I crept out from behind the rack I was behind and searched until I found it. I almost screamed when I tried, like a complete idiot, to pick it up. I stuck my head out the door and saw Helen in the main room, so I quickly slid my good hand in the handle on the side of the trunk and began pulling it into the lab, thankful when it didn't make a sound as I dragged it into the room.

"Alright Joseph, you have to make this thing work," I whispered to myself as I unloaded it one handedly and began setting it up. Helen would be doubling back any time now, I had to work fast. I tinkered with wires and buttons and keys until I managed to seal the anomaly to prevent it from closing, and felt cold dread spread through me when I heard her walk into the room.

"Ah, if it isn't the good doctor," she said, walking over and kicking me out of my crouching position and onto my back on the floor. She brought her shoe down on my broken wrist, and this time I couldn't hold back my scream. At that moment, I would have preferred that she kill me.

"Goodbye for now, Dr Noir. I would kill you, but I have things to do," she said, walking out of the room and leaving me lying on the floor, my wrist bruised and broken. I didn't even have a chance to ask her what she was doing here, how she knew my name, or why, or how she'd lured the team through an anomaly. I assumed that she'd somehow lured them through and then doubled back and came back through, leaving them trapped and alone.

I used my good hand to pull myself up onto my side, and then I managed to get to my feet. My bad wrist hung limply at my side, completely useless. I hit the button on the Anomaly Sealer to reopen the anomaly and staggered through, landing roughly on my face on the other side. When I looked over at my shoulder, the anomaly had closed.

I again pulled myself to my feet and then walked into the woods to begin looking for the ARC team.

**Jenny's P.O.V.**

We dismounted our horses and slowly stepped into the barn, weapons raised. I felt the blood leave my face when I saw Sarah hanging from a rope noose in the middle of the barn, and I saw a pure, undiluted rage overtake Becker. We took of inside and I drug an old chair over next to her to stand on. I put my fingers to the side of her neck, checking for a pulse.

"It's faint, but she's got a pulse. We have to hurry," I said, helping Becker untie the rope as he put one foot on the side of the chair I was standing on to hoist himself up. We finally slid the rope free and she fell from it, and Connor caught her clumsily.

"Is she going to be okay?" he asked, laying her down on the floor of the barn.

"Oh thank god I found you guys."

We turned around to see Joseph standing in the doorway of the barn, his right hand hanging limply at his side, looking tired and distraught. What on earth was he doing here?

"What the hell are you doing here, Dolittle?" James The Second asked as if reading my mind.

"First of all, do not call me 'Dolittle' ever again. I do not talk to animals for kicks. Second of all, the anomaly's closed. Helen lured you guys here and then doubled back and got to the safe side of the anomaly. We're stuck," he explained, leaning against the side of the doorway.

"So let me get this straight. The anomaly started closing and _then_ you decided to come through it?" Abby said as she leaned over Sarah, who Becker was trying furiously to get breathing.

"What good was I doing on the other side?" he retorted, lifting his eyebrows.

She just sighed and shook her head, returning her attention to Sarah. Becker did everything he could to assist her, and we could all tell from the anger in his eyes that he would not stop until he had revenge on Helen. More or less, it was going to be war.

"Come on, you have to hang on, Sarah," Becker whispered to her unmoving, barely breathing body.

"Will she be alright?" Joseph asked, walking over to us.

"You're the doctor, how about you tell us," Claudia said.

He leaned over her and checked her pulse, and then looked back up at us with worried blue eyes. "It doesn't look good. If Sarah survives, it will be a miracle."

"_A warning to the people, the good and the evil, this is war." _~Thirty Seconds To Mars

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**Author's Note:**

**Sorry for the terribly boring chapter! I will try to make the next one more interesting, I promise! This is the first part of a two part chapter, the next part focuses more on Helen and what she wants. Then the chapters after that will be more Sarah/Becker, Jenny/Lester, Claudia/Nick centric. Less drama, more romance. Also, I know that Danny left pretty abruptly in the start of the chapter, but I needed him out of the way to serve the purpose of these next few chapters.**

**This chapter is dedicated to Squabble, a constant reader and reviewer! And a special thanks to my editor drodgers89, who writes an amazing Stephen/Abby featuring Claudia/Nick fan fiction called Elsewhere, and to rattychipmunk, who also always reviews and writes my other favorite Primeval fic, The ARC: Chat Room Conversations. I know I mentioned this fics in my last chapter too, but if you haven't read them then you definitely should. Also thanks to Kathryn Hart, another constant reviewer and devout Claudia and Nick fan.**

**Anyways, I'm done babbling now. Thank you to all of the readers and reviewers, you guys are the best!**


	15. This Is War  Part 2

"_You're coming to, but you're slow to awaken."_~The Fray

**Lester's P.O.V.**

We watched anxiously as Joseph tried to get Sarah breathing, and I felt Jenny, who was standing next to me, start to tremble. Sarah had quit breathing, but the idiot doctor was still convinced he could get her breathing. He worked rapidly, and Becker assisted him. I glanced down at Jenny, who was pale and drawn. I suppose she would be upset, seeing as her and Sarah were practically best friends.

It was cold inside the old barn, and she shivered violently. She wore the short sleeved blouse and short skirt she'd been wearing at the ARC, and she shook from the fear of losing her friend and from the cold. I pulled my suit jacket from my shoulders and held it out to her, and she glanced up at me in surprise. I sighed and wrapped it around her shoulders, and she leaned against my side, burying her face in my shoulder.

I was not good with the whole sensitive thing, but it seemed like all she wanted was for me to stand there and just let her be, so I did. I was normally the last person people turned to for comfort, but I did the best I could to comfort her. She had been through so much, it made me want to strangle every single person that had ever caused her harm. I was somewhat awkwardly stroking her hair when I heard Joseph say something that shocked us all and made Jenny's head snap up.

"She's breathing."

Without a second of hesitation, Becker swept Sarah up into his arms as she opened her eyes. She pressed her face into his shoulder, her entire body shaking. He held her tightly, as if to let her go was to lose her.

"Let's give them a minute," Jenny said, tugging at my arm. I followed her out of the barn and out into the cold evening, the rest of the team at our heels. They all had matching expressions, ones that were a mixture of happiness, relief, and shock. Jenny still leaned into my side as we walked, her hand holding on to my arm. I wrapped one arm around her waist, and she again pressed her face into my shoulder.

_James Lester, what has happened to you? _I thought as I felt an unexpected prickle of warmth spread through me. Jenny Lewis had been doing strange things to me. I didn't like being at the disadvantage of caring about someone besides myself, it was complicating my entire lifestyle.

After arguing with Becker for thirty minutes on rather or not it was safe to move Sarah, we finally decided we would all find somewhere warmer until we figured out what we were doing about the fact we were stuck in an era when women still wore petticoats. I said that we should find an old abandoned house, and Joseph said he'd seen an old manor that looked deserted on his way to look for us.

"Lead the way, Dolittle," my son sighed, folding his arms.

"I told you to stop calling me that," Joseph said, absently rubbing his right wrist.

"Let's go," Becker nodded, picking up Sarah despite her protests. He had insisted that if we were going to move her, then he was going to carry her.

Joseph nodded and began leading us through the woods, and I scowled as leaves tangled in my hair. I pulled my comb out of my suit jacket, which was still wrapped around Jenny, as we walked and brushed them out, and she laughed and rolled her eyes. I would've asked what she thought was so funny, but she'd told me once that she found my obsession with my appearance amusing. I walked beside her, wishing we hadn't let the horses loose. I was sick and tired of walking only half an hour after we started.

"Here it is," Joseph said, stopping at an old fence. On the other side of it, about twenty or so yards back, was an old but large manor, seemingly deserted.

We walked up to it and started checking for signs that it was inhabited, but it looked like no one had lived in it in years. The door was unlocked, and Stephen walked in first, gun raised.

"It's clear," he called back to us, lowering the rifle.

We walked in and looked around, and I was surprised at the fact it was still furnished. The furniture carried a fine layer of dust, but the home seemed mostly clean. I nodded approvingly, glancing up the winding wrought iron staircase and seeing a long hallway past the landing. Abby ran up the stairs and straddled the banister, smiling. She slid down, and Connor caught her easily.

"Oh good lord," I muttered, shaking my head.

"Becker, you can put me down now," Sarah said, glancing up at him.

"Oh, yes, of course," he said quickly, carefully laying her down on the couch.

Joseph went into the kitchen and came back with a large, sharp knife, and pulled his lab coat off with his good hand. He ripped the sleeve into strips with the knife awkwardly, almost cutting himself twice because his right hand was totally useless. Nick helped him wrap his wrist, and Joseph winced a couple times as Nick tightened the wrap. I walked over and flinched when I heard the soft _crack_ of bones hitting each other.

"What now?" Claudia said, lifting her eyebrows.

"We'll stay here tonight and start planning in the morning. We're not doing ourselves any favors by exhausting ourselves," Jenny said.

"This place is big, but there's a lot of us, so who all is sharing a room?" Stephen said, propping his gun against the wall next to Becker's.

"Abby and I can share one, we live together anyway, so it wouldn't be weird," Connor said.

"Alright. Nick, Claudia, can the two of you share a room?" Jenny asked.

"I don't see why not. We're not a couple of rowdy teenagers that are going to end up fooling around in the middle of the night and waking the whole house up," Nick said, looking pointedly at Connor and Abby.

"We are not going to be fooling around!" Abby said exasperatedly.

"Becker and I will share one and sleep in shifts so we have someone that's good with weapons awake around the clock," Stephen said.

"Sarah and Joseph can share one, and James and his ego can have their own," I said, running my fingers through my hair to knock out the remaining leaves.

"And I suppose you and I will share one," Jenny said, letting her hair down and shaking it out. A number of twigs and leaves were caught in it, and she began pulling them out and tossing them on the ground.

"Sounds like a plan. Any more questions, anyone?" Claudia said as Nick came around behind her and began pulling stuff from her hair.

"I think we've got it settled," Jenny said.

"Well then, why don't we all get some rest? I really don't have the energy to deal with you idiots any longer," I said, crossing my arms.

Within a few minutes, everyone had found a room and were going to sleep, and Stephen, who was on first watch, was outside. I walked into the room Jenny and I were sharing and closed the door behind me, sighing wearily. I was about to fall flat on my face from exhaustion.

"James, you look tired," Jenny laughed, handing my suit jacket to me.

"You don't look much better," I replied, hanging my jacket on one of the four bedposts.

"Why don't we both just get some sleep?" she suggested, sitting down on the edge of the bed and kicking off her pumps. Enough of the evening light streaming in from the window allowed us to see, but it was quickly getting dark.

I nodded and left my shoes by the door before collapsing tiredly onto one side of the bed. I was too tired to be uncomfortable about sharing a bed with Jenny. Thankfully, she didn't seem to have the energy to be worried about it either, because she laid down on the other side and stretched out, making herself comfortable.

"Goodnight James," she said, her voice muffled because she was facing the wall.

"Goodnight Jenny," I said, closing my eyes and falling right to sleep.

**Jenny's P.O.V.**

When I woke up, I was more rested than I had been in weeks. It took me a moment to remember where I was, and when I did, my eyes snapped open. Apparently at some point, while I was still asleep, I'd curled up next to James. My head rested on his chest, and I could tell from his deep and even breathing that he was still asleep. I would have moved, but I didn't want to disturb him. He'd seemed even more tired than I'd been last night.

I laid there, staring up at the ceiling, not quite awake yet. I finally decided that I was still tired and that I was going back to sleep. From the sounds of it no one else was awake anyway. Closing my eyes, I fell back asleep by the sound if James's slow, even breathing.

The next time I woke up, I was laying with my back against James's chest, and he had one arm draped over my waist. He shifted as he woke up, and I turned over to face him. That was not a good idea. I hadn't realized how close we'd been laying, and our faces were only inches apart. His arm still rested around my waist, and his green eyes opened and he jumped, startled when he realized how close I was.

"Morning," I said, sliding back and getting to my feet. I walked over to the mirror propped up on the dresser and began trying to fix my hair to distract myself from my erratic pulse. Being that close to him had knocked me more than slightly off balance. Something about his eyes always messed with me.

We walked downstairs and found Joseph sitting in the kitchen, reading an old, leather bound book. He nodded to us as we walked in but seemed transfixed by the book in his hands. He ran one fingernail down the middle of the page, muttering something about wishing he could read more than sixteen thousand words a minute.

"You can read sixteen thousand words a minute?" I asked incredulously.

"Yes. I'm certifiably a genius, I have an IQ of 174," he said, closing the book and laying it on the table.

"Morning guys," Abby said as she came downstairs.

"Morning Abby," I said as I sat down on one of the other chairs at the round kitchen table.

"Guys, come see this!" Becker said, sticking his head in the front door.

**Nick's P.O.V.**

We all went outside to see what Becker wanted to show us, and found a bright, glittering anomaly just a few meters from the front door. Becker informed us that he'd stuck his head through and found that it led back to the present, right back into the ARC.

"Oh thank god," Claudia said, coming up next to me.

"Time to go home," Jenny smiled, walking out the door with Lester.

"Let's go," Abby nodded, and Connor grinned in excitement. I think we all missed our own time period.

"I'm going to take this with me. I think it may contain some useful information," Joseph said, holding up an old leather bound book.

"Well, I guess taking a book can't effect history too badly," I said, shrugging.

Stephen, rifle in hand, nodded to the anomaly. "I guess we should go do damage control."

When we stepped through the anomaly, right into Lester's office, we found that the ARC was no longer our own. Hundreds of men in military suits milled around in the main room, and I immediately knew who was behind it. Especially because every single man looked exactly the same. Helen.

"What has she done to my office?" Lester ranted, looking at his desk, which was now cluttered with stacks of photos, charts, and diagrams.

"That is the least of out concerns right now," Jenny snapped, looking around.

"Well, look who's back," Helen said as she walked in, cocking her head like a demonic bird in high heels. "The ARC belongs to me now," she added.

"So we noticed," Claudia said, reaching for the small pistol on her hip. I shook my head at her, and she clenched her jaw and dropped her hands back to her sides, but trusted me enough to listen to me. I knew that she would be killed the second she raised a weapon.

"Give it up, Helen. You're outnumbered," James The Second said, who hadn't seen the hundreds of soldiers downstairs yet.

"Am I?" she asked, motioning to the window overlooking the main room.

He walked over and looked down, and I saw the blood leave his face. His eyebrows lifted, and he turned back to face Helen. He cocked the rifle in his hands and held it at the ready, as arrogant and sure of himself as ever.

"Bring it on," he said with a nod.

"My, what an arrogant son you have," she said, turning to Lester, who had one arm stretched out protectively in front of Jenny, his AK47 in his free hand.

"Like father like son," he shrugged nonchalantly, but I could tell from the tense way he stood and the way he knuckles were white on the rifle he held that he was trying to form a plan.

"Ah, Joseph. We meet again," she said, turning to him. The wrap had come off of his wrist, and it hung limply at his side. He simply fixed her with a death stare, looking pretty scary for someone with a broken wrist and wearing a lab coat.

"I see your still quite cross with me. Oh well, it won't matter for long, Dr Noir. I feel sure I can persuade you and your little team of merry idiots to see things my way," she said with a delicate little shrug.

"Don't bet on it," he spat.

She just smiled and walked out of the room, and we immediately followed. This was going to be war and we knew it. All of us had a weapon in our hand, even Joseph, who'd dropped his book and picked up an envelope opener off of Lester's desk. Sarah held one of Becker's spare guns that he kept strapped to his leg, her eyes glinting with a protective fury as she walked next to Becker. I would hate to be the one to get on the wrong side of the woman.

Helen walked to the middle of the room and closed her eyes, looking at no one and nothing. When she spoke, it was obviously to her clones, and her words were high and clear.

"Fight to the death."

At that moment, the war truly began.

Before I even had time to register what was going on, blood splattered the side of my face as Becker shot a clone coming too close to Sarah. I was enveloped in chaos, and I help up my gun and shot an approaching soldier. In the midst of it all, Claudia and I became separated, and it was impossible to find her in the tangle of bodies.

I heard the distinctive _click, click, click_ of shots being fired from Lester's rifle, and when I looked over my shoulder, I saw Joseph slit one of the clones throats with the envelope opener. He looked like the warrior I didn't know he was, and so did Sarah. They were the only two people from my team that I could see, Sarah and Joseph, and they fought with a fierceness I didn't know they possessed.

I heard the sound of a gun cocking and spun around just in time to shoot a clone that was just about to shoot me. _Kill or be killed, _I thought grimly as his body hit the ground. I shot and fought along with the rest of my team, only stopping when I heard Claudia cry out. The noise stood out even in the midst of war, and I shoved my way through the combating bodies until I found her in the center of the room.

Helen was holding Claudia with a gun pressed to her temple, and Claudia had her eyes squeezed shut, trembling.

"I knew you would come to the rescue, Nick. You never could resist saving a damsel in distress," Helen said, tightening her grip on Claudia and causing her to cry out.

"Whatever you want with me, it doesn't need to involve Claudia. Let her go, and I'll do whatever you want," I said.

"I killed you once to prevent chaos. I am sorry to say that I must do it again," she said, still not releasing Claudia.

"Do whatever you have to, Helen, but just let her go," I said, knowing a tone desperation was creeping into my voice.

"Not likely. Without her, I have no leverage. Come to me, slowly, lower your weapon, and I will release her," she instructed.

I started walking forward, and Claudia, who'd opened her eyes, started pleading with me not to, to just let her be killed. She begged until she cried, and she began struggling uselessly in Helen's grip. When I was only a foot from Helen, I made to put my gun down, and the snapped it back up so fast she had no time to react. I pressed it to her forehead.

"You know that you can't kill me, Nick. You don't have it in you," she laughed, completely convinced of her words.

"Let Claudia go and I won't have to," I said reasonably.

She simply laughed and cocked the gun she held to Claudia's head, and I knew in that instant that she was about to kill her. About to kill the woman I loved more than anyone could understand. More than my own life. More than the entire world. I would die for her. Kill for her.

And it was for that reason, because of Claudia Brown, my one love, I put a bullet into Helen's skull and ended the war once and for all.

"_The fight is done, the war is won." _~Thirty Seconds To Mars

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**Author's Note:**

**Sorry for boringness and melodrama! I promise the next chapter will have more romance and less war and drama, sorry if these past few chapters have been a total bore! I was going to draw the war out more, but I wanted Helen dead again. I hate that woman with a passion. I will update again as soon as I can, but I need to wrap up a Vampire Diaries fan fiction and then I'll post some more in this again. **

**Thank you so much to everyone that's read and reviewed!**


	16. I Found A Way To Let You In

_"My body's broken, yours is bent." _~Placebo

**Lester's P.O.V.**

My entire body still ached from the day's events when I walked into my apartment. After Nick had shot Helen and therefore given the clones no one to answer to, we'd all begun going home. After she'd died, they'd just stood there and dropped their weapons. A lot of them had been dead, but the remaining ones had simply stood there and did nothing. Jenny had come up with the idea to order the clones to clean up the mess, and we'd all been too tired and too sore to argue with it. My clothes were stained with blood, some mine and some of the clone's, and I was hurting from head to toe.

I got some clothes to sleep in out of the dresser in my bedroom and decided to get a shower and try to rinse some of the blood off and evaluate the wounds. I knew I had a small knife wound in my left shoulder, and several other ones that I'd lost track of. I hadn't exactly had time to assess wounds when we heard the sound of gunfire and we'd looked up to see Helen's dead body hit the floor and Nick drop the gun as Claudia collapsed into his arms. I had been surprised when Jenny had fallen right into mine, but after the war, we'd all been too tired to ask questions.

Once I was out of the shower, I staunched the blood trickling from the small knife wound on my shoulder, which had reopened when I'd tried to clean it. The hot water had done nothing to unknot my tense muscles, and I was tired but had too much on my mind to sleep. I walked into my living room, empty now that Connor had moved back in with Abby, and sat down on the couch and stared at the stack of papers on the coffee table.

I grabbed my mobile off the table and dialed Sarah Marie, glad when she answered. I didn't have much of a reason to call her, but after the day's events, I took reassurance in the sound of her voice when answered.

"Good, I was hoping you were still awake," I said.

"Hey Daddy. What's up?" she asked.

"Nothing much," I said, wishing I could tell her about what had gone on today but knowing that for one, she couldn't know about the ARC, and two, I wouldn't want to worry her.

"How's James? I heard he started working with you," she said.

"He's fine. I never thought I'd see the day when he wanted to work with the government, but it seems he's really found his calling," I lied smoothly, leaving out the fact he now chased dinosaurs for a living.

"That's good, I'm glad he's finally found something he enjoys. Hold on a sec, my boyfriend's here," she said, and I heard her footsteps fade away as she walked to the door. Boyfriend? What boyfriend?I'd heard nothing about a boyfriend.

"Hey, I'm back. You should meet Stephen some time," she said.

"Stephen?" I repeated, shaking my head. No. It could _not_ be the same Stephen.

"Yeah, Stephen Hart. We met a couple of days ago at the park," she explained.

Oh lord. Of all the people in the world. Of all the people, my daughter was dating _Stephen_?

**Jenny's P.O.V.**

When I got home, I picked up the phone and called Danny. After everything that had happened, I needed to talk to him. I wanted to hear his voice.

"Hello?" he said.

"It's Jenny. I just wanted to call and s-"

"I'm actually kind of busy, is there any way you can call later?" he cut me off, and I blinked in surprise. It wasn't like him to be so short with me.

"Is something wrong?" I asked, my brow furrowing when I heard a voice in the background. Female. "Danny, is there someone with you?"

"Don't be ridiculous. I'm just busy," he said shortly, and I heard the woman's voice in the background again.

"I bet you are," I said, hanging up. I felt anger run through me, and I had to resist the urge to the throw the phone into the wall. _So, he's met someone else,_ I thought, cursing myself for letting my guard down. I walked into the kitchen and fixed myself a drink, and then another. I rarely drink, but the alcohol was numbing the pain of his betrayal.

_Fine. If he can have some fun then so can I, _I thought, dialing a number on my phone.

"Hi Sarah, it's Jenny. Are you up for a night on the town?" I asked, feeling the formerly party-girl side of me creeping forward. If I had learned anything during the two years I had been gone from the ARC, it was how to party.

"Sure. Can I bring Becker?" she asked hesitantly.

"Of course. The more the merrier," I said, knowing a dangerous edge was creeping into my voice. It wasn't anger with her, it was anger with Danny. _Go ahead and have fun, Danny. You're going to regret it, darling, _I thought venomously.

"Great, I'll see you soon then?" she said.

"How about we meet at that new club in an hour?" I said, glancing at the clock and seeing that it was a little after ten at night.

"Okay, sounds fun. Not that I mind, but why are we suddenly going out to a nightclub?" she asked.

"I'm just in the mood to cut loose a little," I said mildly, deciding I would tell her about Danny in the morning.

"Okay then. See you soon," she said, hanging up.

I walked over to my closet and opened it, smiling when I saw a black dress hanging in the corner. I hadn't worn the dress in years. Smiling, I pulled it out and admired it happily. If you want to forget about your presumably cheating boyfriend for awhile, this was the dress. It was black, came to mid thigh, halter necked, backless, and a deep V neck plunging almost to the navel. Racy, but sexy.

I pulled out the matching five inch black heels and went into the bathroom and started getting dressed. _Your loss, Danny Quinn, _I thought, deciding not to let him get me down. I cared about him, but I wasn't just going to sit around and mope. I pulled the dress over my head, smoothing it out until it hugged my curves perfectly. It was the sort of dress that made a woman feel good about herself, which was just what I needed.

After styling my hair so that it fell in loose waves past my shoulders and applying smoky eye shadow and bright red glossy lipstick, I picked my mobile up off the bed and dialed a number I had committed to memory. Even when all else failed, I knew who to call. He may be the one man I could count on no matter what.

"James, this is Jenny," I said after he picked up. "I have a favor to ask."

"Shoot," he sighed.

"It's a long story why, but I decided to get all dolled up and go dancing tonight. I was hoping maybe you could be my escort?" I asked, twirling a lock of hair around my finger.

"Give me one good reason," he scoffed.

"Hold on. I'm texting you a picture," I said, holding out the phone and taking a picture of myself from about the knee up and sending it to him. I am not generally a vain person, but with this dress, any male would be hard pressed to say no.

I put the phone back to my ear and smiled when he said, "On my way."

When he arrived, I was already waiting on the sidewalk. He got out and lifted his eyebrows, observing this new side of me. I smiled, unable to repress being a little flattered. He may be one of the hardest men in the world to impress, yet I'd convinced him to come with me with the sending of one picture. I felt better straight away.

"You look beautiful," he said, opening the passenger side door of his car for me. I slid in and he pushed it closed for me before getting in behind the wheel. When we arrived at the club, I grinned at the sight of the bright lights. It had been way too long since I'd had any fun. When he opened my door, he held out his arm, and I smiled as I took it. We walked in and saw Becker and Sarah straight away, sitting at the bar waiting for us.

"Hey Jenny! You look amazing," she said.

"Thank you, so do you," I said, motioning to her tight black tank top and very short white leather mini skirt with matching white leather pumps. Becker looked like he was about to die and go to heaven looking at her.

"Dance with me," I said to James, tugging at his hand.

"I thought I was the one that gave the orders around here," he muttered, but still let me drag him out on the dance floor.

The song was fast, and he surprised me by how well he could dance. Apparently he could do more than waltz. And I surprised me by how intensely I reacted. As our bodies pulled together tightly, I wound my hands through his hair as our bodies moved together. His hands rested on my waist, and I felt my pulse pick up at how close he was. I could feel his heart beating against mine, and the fast movements of our bodies slowed slightly to match the slower, almost sensuous song that started. The lyrics were spoken by a beautiful, if not slightly raspy, female voice.

_Are you scared of the dark? Are you afraid they'll break your heart?_

I turned around in his arms and leaned my back against his chest, and he wrapped his arms around my waist as we again began moving in a slow, easy unison. I rested my hands over his, swaying my body to the rhythm of the song.

_To live, when you think you're dying. To laugh, when you feel like crying_

As the chorus picked up, he turned me back around to face him, and our faces were mere inches apart. I could feel his breath against my face, and I was hyperaware of his hands resting on my hips and my arms around his neck.

_It's only fear, after all…_ the woman sang. It was surprisingly accurate at how well the song summed up my feelings for him. He scared me, the way he made me react to him without even trying. There was not an inch on space between our bodies. We were so close that I could feel his heart pounding against mine, the contours of his body fitting against mine perfectly, like we were two inseparable halves of a whole.

* * *

"I can walk just fine," I protested as he carried me into my flat hours later. He claimed I was drunk, but I was just a tiny bit unsteady on my feet.

"No you can't. Every time I've tried to sit you down, you've fallen right back off your feet," he said.

"I am not drunk. I am alcoholically impaired," I slurred, holding on tightly to his neck to keep from falling right out of his arms.

"Well whatever you call it, I am not letting you walk," he said, walking into my living room and asking where my bedroom was. I pointed down the hall and he carried me into my room and laid me down on the bed and pulled my shoes off, which were killing me.

"Goodnight Jenny," he said, giving me the briefest kiss on the cheek.

"Goodnight James," I murmured drowsily.

I heard the door click shut behind him, and with comforting feeling of his presence still lingering, I closed my eyes and fell asleep.

**Sarah's P.O.V.**

When I woke up the next morning, my head was throbbing. I'd had one too many at the club last night, and I didn't remember half of what had happened after Becker and I had started dancing together, close at first and then closer still. I think I vaguely remember him kissing me, but the details are so fuzzy that I can't be sure. Yawning, I turned over onto my other side.

And screamed.

Becker was laying there, sound asleep. He was facing me, his brown hair tousled and his breathing deep and even. When I looked between us, I realized we were both severely lacking in the clothing department. Oh my _god_. We'd _slept_ together. I had slept with him, and I didn't even remember it. I was particularly upset about the latter bit. His eyelashes fluttered at my scream and he opened his eyes, jumping slightly when he realized what I already had. I scrambled off the bed to pick up my clothes, and found my shirt on the floor, torn almost cleanly down the middle. I lifted an eyebrow at him, and he shrugged apologetically. He was leaning back on the pillows, arms folded behind his head, not looking nearly as embarrassed as I figured I did.

"Oh my god," I murmured, grabbing my robe off the end of the bed and pulling it tightly around me. I tried not to focus on Becker, who was laying on my bed, the blankets pulled up to his waist, his built upper body fully exposed. I blushed, trying to figure out what to say. What do you say when you sleep with someone and then wake up the next morning and don't remember it?

"You regret it," he said. It wasn't a question, it was a statement.

"Becker I don't even remember it," I said, shaking my head.

"Neither do I. But I don't…never mind," he cut himself off, getting to his feet and reaching for his clothes. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying not to dwell on the image of his completely naked body, but it seemed permanently burned into my mind.

"You can open your eyes now," he said from right in front of me.

I opened my eyes and found him not two feet from me, pulling his shirt on. The thin fabric of it was pulled taut across his lean, sculpted abdomen, and I turned away and started picking my clothes up off the ground, though a couple of things were ripped.

"Well, we should probably be getting to the ARC," Becker said, trying to cover the awkwardness with an air of professionalism.

"Right," I nodded, grabbing some clean clothes and going into the bathroom to change.

"Let's go," he nodded, holding open the door of the apartment for me.

Once we were in the car, my memories of last night started coming back. And oh my, were they memories. It was a vicious onslaught of memories, all very heated. I tried to block it out, yet I still vividly remembered him ripping several items of my clothing in his eagerness to remove them. I then realized that if I looked at Becker's back, I would see the fingernail marks I'd made last night. I had said his name repeatedly, and if memory served, I'd had good reason to.

**Jenny's P.O.V.**

The next day, when I walked into the ARC, my head was pounding and my hair was a mess. I was severely hungover, and I practically snapped Joseph's head off when he said good morning.

"No it is _not_ a good morning, you overly optimistic idiot," I spat, stalking off to my office and then deciding to drop my James's first to see if there was anything he needed me to take care of.

"Anything you need me to do?" I asked, walking in.

"No, nothing I can think of," he said, closing the file he'd had laying open on his desk.

I was standing in front of the desk, absently fiddling with the hem of my blouse. Though I was sober, the intense draw I'd felt to him last night hadn't faded away in the slightest. I didn't remember every single detail of the night before, but I vividly remembered dancing with him to a song called "Fear." Under the fluorescents of his office, his eyes were a pale brown, and they still pierced me straight through. They had a way of changing colors under different lighting, and something about them were oddly beautiful.

I went to say something, but I closed my mouth again. What was there to say? I could hardly tell him what was going through my head. I wanted to hesitate, wanted to stop myself, but my old impulsiveness was flaring up when I did something I felt sure I would regret. I leaned over the desk and kissed him hard on the mouth.

Heat spread through me, a deep hunger and passion. He kissed me back, much to my surprise. I figured he would push me away and ask what was wrong with me, but no, he kissed me back fiercely. I tangled my hand in his hair and pulled myself closer, and he increased the pressure of his mouth on mine. He gently ran his tongue over my lower lip, and I opened my mouth to him. His tongue gently traced mine, and I heard the lyrics of the song we'd danced to last night running through my head as he held me to him with a surprising mixture of need and passion.

_To stand, when you think you're gonna fall. It's just fear after all. It's only fear after all._

A mixture of emotions ran through me - hunger, need, passion, love. Yes, love. Crazily enough, against my better judgment, I loved him. I wrapped my fingers around his necktie and pulled him closer, feeling time and thought and sanity fade away as I finally admitted to myself that I was in love with James Lester.

"_I found a way to let you in, but I never really had a doubt. Standing in the light of your halo, I got my angel now." _~Beyonce

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**First off, let me say that I know Danny was pretty OOC in the start of this chapter, but after reading "Primeval: Fire and Water" it didn't seem too far off, he is a total flirt in the books. Sorry to any Jenny/Danny shippers, but when I started this fic it was meant to be Jenny/Lester, so again I say sorry to anyone wanting it to be Jenny and Danny. Also, speaking of OOC, I know Jenny was pretty out of character earlier in the chapter when she was drunk, but after a few drinks I guess she would be a little wonky. And yes, the next chapter will feature more Secker:-)**

**Thanks as always to all of the readers and reviewers, I would have never gotten this far in this fan fiction without you!**


	17. I Could Really Use A Wish Right Now

***Warning: Majorly fluffy chapter, and some of the characters are pretty OOC***

* * *

"_Love is a part of me, love is the heart of me. Love is the best thing we do." _~Ashlee Simpson

**Jenny's P.O.V.**

"Why do you look all…glowy?" Sarah asked me as I helped her go over some of her history books.

I had asked her why her and Becker didn't do it, and she'd mumbled that they already had. I was profoundly confused, and she refused to give up details. She'd been avoiding him all day. I'd seen her walk down the hall, and he'd been coming from the opposite direction, and she's turned around and all but ran the other way.

"I am not 'glowy,'" I said, trying to sound as convincing as possible.

"I'll tell you why I'm avoiding Becker if you tell me why you look like you're somewhere up on cloud nine," she said persuasively.

I sighed. "Fine. You first."

"Deal. Well, Becker and I sort of, well, um…" her voice trailed off and she blushed almost to the roots of her hair.

"Sort of, well, um, _what_?" I insisted.

"Slept together," she blurted out. "We got drunk at the nightclub and ended up in bed together," she mumbled.

"Well?" I said, lifting my eyebrows.

"Well what?" she asked, crossing her arms.

"Was it good?"

"Jenny!" she said, slapping my arm with her hardcover book. Ow.

"Come on, Sarah, you can tell me," I insisted, leaning forward.

"Fine. As far as I can remember, it wasn't too bad," she shrugged.

"Why do I get the feeling you're lying?" I said, lifting an eyebrow.

"Alright fine. It was _amazing_," she said, fanning herself with her notepad for effect.

"So now what? Are the two of you together?" I asked.

"I don't know what we are. Anyways, you promised me you would tell me what had you so happy," she said.

Now it was my turn to blush. "It's nothing, really,"

"Jenny Lewis, you are _blushing_. You do not blush over nothing," she said, fixing me with her overly perceptive stare.

"It's…James," I admitted. There. I'd said it. She could leave me alone now.

"What about him?" So much for leaving me alone.

"He and I…we…kissed," I said, almost laughing when her jaw fell open.

"What about Danny?" she asked, eyes wide.

"That's actually the whole reason I wanted to go clubbing last night. I called him and he was with another woman," I explained.

"His loss. So, I have to ask something," she added, brow furrowing.

"What?" I asked, laying down the book in my hand.

"Is Lester a good kisser?"

"Sarah!" I said, and this time I was the one that whacked her with the hardcover book.

"Oh come on. I told you that Becker was the best lover I have ever had, the least you can do is tell me about Lester," she said, lifting her eyebrows.

"Are you going to leave me alone until I tell you?" I asked.

She shook her head. "Not a chance."

"Yes. He just happens to be an amazing kisser," I said, more than slightly uncomfortable with the conversation. I had never done well with girl talk.

She opened her mouth to say something, but closed it when Becker stuck his head in.

"Can we talk?" he asked, glancing at her meaningfully.

"Sure," she said shrilly, her accent accentuated by her anxiety and nervousness.

"I'll, ah, leave you guys to it," I said, standing up and mouthing "good luck" before leaving.

I left her office and went up to James's office to ask him if I needed to take care of anything before I left, and suddenly felt terribly nervous. This was bound to be awkward.

"Good, I was hoping you'd show up," he said to my surprise when I walked in. I lifted my eyebrows, feeling a mixture of relief and anxiety. Relief because it didn't seem to be awkward between us, anxiety at why he needed to see me.

"I have something to ask you," he said, leaning back in his desk chair. I swallowed hard, presumably knowing what he was going to say. I figured I might as well go ahead and save him the trouble.

"Let me guess: Have I lost my mind? What on earth got into me? Can we pretend it never hap-"

I would have continued, but he rose from his chair and walked over to me, cutting me off my taking my face in his hands and kissing me in a way that made me dizzy and weak kneed.

"Actually, I was going to ask if you wanted to go out for drinks after work," he said after releasing me, infuriatingly composed.

"Sure," I said, trying not to sound too excited about the prospect of an actual date. I didn't want him to think I'd gone completely spineless.

"Well, that's all I needed," he said, sinking back into his chair and returning to his paperwork.

I was still grinning like an idiot when I walked out of his office.

**Sarah's P.O.V.**

"You can't avoid me forever, you know," Becker said, leaning against the side of the table I sat at.

"I can try," I countered, taking notes from my book so I didn't have to look at him.

"Sarah…" he began exasperatedly.

"Becker, what happened last night was an accident," I said, not understanding what we needed to talk about. We'd both been drunk, and we both knew that.

"So we were drunk. Drunk or not, people don't do things like that unless they care about each other," he said, shifting from foot to foot anxiously. I had never seen him anxious before, and it was strange.

"Are you saying that you care about me?" I smiled, leaning back in my chair and folding my hands in my lap. He sighed and walked over to me, sitting down beside me.

"Yes I am," he said, laying his hand on mine. Instead of verbally answering him, I simply leaned over and kissed him deeply.

**Stephen's P.O.V.**

I knocked on Sarah Marie's door, smiling at her when she answered and told me to come in. I settled on the couch of her dorm, stretching my legs out. I came over constantly, so she was pretty much used to me.

"Rough day at work?" she laughed, picking my feet up, sitting down, and laying them back on her lap.

"Ugh, you have no idea," I sighed, leaning my head back tiredly.

"So, what do you do, anyways? You're always so evasive," she said, leaning over and taking my hand, her bright blue eyes full of concern. She was far too perceptive, and sometimes her dry sense of humor reminded me of someone, but I couldn't quite place who.

"Boring government stuff," I laughed.

"Stephen, if you're going to be my boyfriend, you're going to have to be honest with me. If that's going to be a problem, you can leave," she said, tossing her long blond hair over her shoulder. I bit my lip, desperately wanting to tell her. It was tell her or lose her. Taking a deep breath, I crossed the line that had been drawn me from the second I'd joined the ARC.

"You can't repeat anything I'm about to tell you…"

**Jenny's P.O.V.**

I stood in the bathroom at the ARC, worrying over my appearance. James and I were leaving straight from work to got our for drinks, so I didn't have time to go home and change. I suppose my blouse, slacks, and heels were fine, but I was still nervous. It was, I suppose, our first official date. Finally deciding I at least looked presentable, I walked out of the bathroom and found James leaning against the wall, waiting for me.

"Are you ready?" he asked, absently twiddling with his cuffs.

"Yes," I nodded, swallowing back my nervousness.

We went to a nice restaurant and sat at a small table in the back corner, far away from everyone else. It was very classy, and very elegant, but I felt comfortable. He pulled my chair out for me, and I nodded my thanks to him as I sat down. The dim lighting of the restaurant turned his eyes a stunning green color, and I again marveled at the beauty of how they changed colors.

We talked for hours, found endless things we had in common, and I found myself thinking that he was actually fun to be around. He still replied with his dry, sarcastic humor, but he didn't snap like he did at work. He was actually quite relaxed, for once. He seemed to be in his element here.

Later, as we walked out of the restaurant, he said there was something he wanted to show me. I nodded and let him lead me around the back of the restaurant, and I didn't understand what was so special about the open, grassy area until he tilted my chin up and I saw the impossibly clear, open view of the sky. The stars, so unusually visible, were positively dazzling. I smiled and laid down on my back on the grass, staring up at them.

"Get down here with me," I said, looking up at James.

"Why on earth would-"

"Oh come on, get down here. You can wash the grass stains out of your suit when we get home," I said, tugging on the leg of his pants. He sighed and laid down on his back beside me, and I smiled as I studied his profile. I took his hand as we lay there in a calm, peaceful silence. It was quiet, but it felt oddly romantic.

"Make a wish," he whispered to me, pointing up at a shooting star streaking across the sky. I closed my eyes and thought of the only thing I truly wanted. _Don't let these moments come to an end. I can't lose him, _I thought, aware that he was watching me.

"What did you wish for?" he asked.

I glanced over at him, unable to tell if he was joking or not because it was almost completely dark outside and I couldn't make his features out. So I simply smiled and said, "Can't tell you. It's bad luck."

I didn't know if got sick of it, or if he got bored, or even if he was getting impatient, but I was content to lay there, staring up at the bright, star speckled sky. It seemed terribly childish to be so happy just lying there, letting my thoughts wander as I took in the beautiful sight before me, but for the first time in a long time, I was happy. Purely, completely, happy.

"_Can we pretend that airplanes in the night sky like shooting stars? I could really use a wish right now." _~Hayley Williams

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**Author's Note:**

**Sorry again for the overly fluffy chapter and OOCness of the characters. I veered off track a little with this chapter, sorry if it was awful. And don't worry, Lester will be back to his snarky self in the next chapter, promise. Well, that's about it :-)**

**Thanks for reading and reviewing!**


	18. Don't Be Scared It's Only Love

"_In your mind, through your eyes, do you see? It's the fantasy." _~Thirty Seconds To Mars

**Jenny's P.O.V.**

I dropped my head back, sighing in ecstasy as James's lips trailed down my neck. I buried my fingers deep into his hair, pulling him closer. He finally brought his mouth back to mine, and he pressed my back harder against the wall.

"Jenny," he said my name softly and seductively, fixing me with those beautiful green eyes. My entire body ached for him, hungered for him, and I was on the verge of literally begging him when he said my name more insistently.

"_Jenny,"_ he said again, shaking my shoulder. Confused, I became disoriented…

My eyes snapped open and found him shaking my shoulder to wake me up. I sat up, picking my head up off the desk, shaking my head in confusion. I exhaled deeply, trying to regain my sense of reality. It had just been a dream. I had fallen asleep at my desk and then had a very strange, very heated dream. _You've gone straight from dating him to fantasizing about him_, I thought as I got to my feet.

It was the day after our date, we'd just gotten back from a more exhausting anomaly problem, and almost everyone had decided to take a nap since there was nothing else to do. I had been intending on catching up on paperwork but had ended up asleep. Getting all the facts together helped ground myself, and I was fully composed when I turned to James.

"What's wrong?" I asked, smoothing my blouse.

"Nothing with me, you were the one talking in your sleep," he said, lifting an eyebrow.

"What was I saying?" I asked, crossing my arms.

"It was a bit hard to make out, but it sounded something like 'James.' Repeatedly, mind you," he said, looking almost amused.

"Is there anything else you need?" I asked, pointedly avoiding saying anything in reference to what I'd been saying in my sleep. Somehow I don't think it would go over well if I explained my dream to him.

"No, that's all," he said, walking off and still looking faintly amused.

**Lester's P.O.V.**

When Stephen walked into the armory, I was already there. I was standing in the middle of the room, holding my beloved AK47. I had intended on being here when he showed up, and I took a moment to enjoy the shock on his face as I stood there patiently, holding an automatic rifle.

"We should talk," I said.

"About?" he asked, his eyes going between me and the large gun I held.

"Sarah Marie. I know the two of you are dating."

"How do you know her?" he asked much to my confusion. _So either he's playing dumb, which by all means shouldn't be difficult, or he really is stupider than I thought, which is saying something since I was already considering on submitting him to The Guiness Book of World Records for Dumbest Man Alive, _I mused.

"Are you really that stupid? You know what don't answer that. Of course you are. Anyways, she really hasn't told you?" I said, stepping forward.

"First of all, no. Second of all, why do you have a gun?" he asked, motioning to the rifle I held.

"To answer your second question, it's because if I have heard that you have hurt Sarah Marie in any way, I am going to shoot you," I said calmly.

"What is she to y- oh my god," he cut himself off abruptly as the answer dawned on him.

"My, my, Stephen figures it out. Administer the man a Nobel Prize," I drawled.

"She's your _daughter_?" he asked, eyes wide.

I laid my gun down and clapped my hands sarcastically. "Three cheers for Stephen."

"Oh good god," he muttered, raking his fingers through his hair. "I can't believe this."

"Well I'll leave you alone for now, but let's get one thing straight," I said, walking over and looking him dead in the eye. "If she sheds so much as one tear over you, I _will_ have someone disembowel you."

"Yes sir," he said, lifting an eyebrow. Sighing in exasperation at his unwillingness to take me seriously, I whacked him over the back of the head with the rifle I'd picked back up.

"Ow," he muttered, rubbing the back of his head.

Without another word, I laid my gun down and walked out of the room.

**Joseph's P.O.V.**

_Run, go!….run as fast as you can, son…I love you Joseph…_

I jerked awake, shuddering and broken out in a cold sweat. I still had the nightmares almost all the time, but they were so much worse when I relived some of my father's last words to me. When I was seven, both of my parents had died in a fire. My father, trapped under a fallen beam, had begged me to run. My mother had already died of smoke inhalation, and I'd been the only one left in the house with any chance of living.

I'd had a phobia of fire ever since, I refused to handle a match or lighter. I had barely gotten out of the house alive, and I had collapsed onto the ground several hundred feet from the house, watching in horror as the fire engulfed it. I had wanted so badly to save them, but there had been no helping either of my parents. I had always been an outcast, always been quiet, but after the fire I was never the same. I trusted no one, and I spoke very little. It was how I dealt with the trauma that still haunted me.

I'd had no siblings, but my mother had been pregnant. Six months pregnant with my baby sister. And because my uncle fell asleep with a cigarette in his hand in the living room while my parents and I slept upstairs, I would never know her, or who she could've become. My uncle, David, had been visiting, and because of one mistake, both him and the rest of my family died. By the time the smoke alarms had woken us up, it had been too late.

"You okay there? You're not looking too well," Nick said, sticking his head into the office the ARC had given me. I was still sitting bolt upright on the couch, still broken out in a cold sweat.

"I'm fine," I lied, brushing a lock of my unruly black hair from my eyes. It was straight, fine, and completely unwilling to stay out of my eyes. It was fairly short, but still managed to constantly fall into my face.

"Thought I would make sure," he said, giving me a small nod and leaving.

Laying back on the couch, I closed my eyes but still couldn't escape the memories consuming my mind.

**Jenny's P.O.V.**

"You and Becker are dating?" I repeated after Sarah told me the good news.

"Yep," she smiled happily, spinning around in her desk chair.

"Finally," I said.

"We should take our boys and double some time," she suggested. I laughed at the thought of James and I going out on a "double date" with her and Becker. It could be interesting.

"I'll see if I can talk him into it," I said.

"Wonderful. Well, what are you waiting for? Go ask," she said, pulling me out of my chair and pushing me out the door. I sighed, shaking my head, and walked up to his office.

"Sarah has something she wants me to ask you," I said, sitting down on the edge of his desk.

"What is it?" he asked, not looking up from his paperwork.

"She thinks you, me, her, and Becker should go on a double date."

He looked up from his papers and raised an eyebrow, laying his pen down on the desk and leaning back in his chair.

"A double date?" he mumbled, somewhat to himself.

"It could be fun," I said.

"Not for someone who's idea of 'fun' is sitting in his office reading a book," he replied.

"Come _on_, loosen up a little," I said, springing to my feet.

Sighing in defeat, he said, "Fine. But remember this, because it's never going to happen again."

"Of course," I smiled happily, kissing him on the cheek and leaving his office.

* * *

"I don't think so, Sarah," I said when she suggested we do karaoke. We were at a karaoke bar, and she was more than a little tipsy. I had at least had the good sense to remain sober.

"One song," she encouraged, grabbing my hand and pulling me onto the stage. James and Becker, the latter extremely drunk, sat at a table sipping their drinks, not that Becker needed any more alcohol. He'd already ended up doing a very bad karaoke rendition of "Good Girls Go Bad" by Cobra Starship. James and I were the only ones sober.

"I am going to kill you," I told her as she handed me a microphone.

"You can do it later," she said as Beyonce's "All The Single Ladies" began playing. And surprisingly, I had fun. A few very drunk men in the bar, including Becker, even through money at us. Laughing as I pulled her off stage, Sarah sat back down next to Becker.

When James pulled up at my flat after we left the restaurant, he leaned over to give me a quick goodnight kiss. Well, it was supposed to be quick. He and I were like gasoline and a match, reacting to each other without even trying. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled myself closer, and he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him, over the console. I buried my fingers deep into his hair, tilting my head back as he kissed my neck.

It reminded me vividly of my fantasy, from the ecstasy blotting out all rationality to the way his mouth trailed down my neck. His fingers ran down my spine, and I kissed him hard, hunger blurring my sense of control. I pulled him closer until our bodies were flush against each other, and I could feel his heart pounding against mine. Emotion and passion overtook me, and I sighed as his lips again traced my neck.

"James, I…" I cut myself off before I said something I regretted. I couldn't say it, I couldn't risk running him off. It was too fast, way too fast. There was no possible way he felt the same, and I wasn't going to break this fragile bond we'd developed.

"You what?" he asked hoarsely, his voice rough.

"Nothing," I said, bringing my mouth back to his to keep him from asking anymore questions.

**Lester's P.O.V.**

After Jenny and I had finally managed to untangle ourselves and I got back home, I laid my jacket over the back of the couch and leaned tiredly against the wall. _You have got to stop reacting to her that way, you idiot. You're not in college any more,_ I thought to myself. I cared for her so much it hurt, though I still tried to deny that I loved her. But if I was being honest with myself, I did love her. More than anything.

"_Don't be scared it's only love baby that we're falling in." _~Lifehouse

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**Author's Note:**

**Just a quick little author's note. First, sorry if Becker was too OOC in this chapter, and if the chapter was generally boring. It's more a filler than anything. Also, sorry for all the fluffiness there at the end.**

**Anyways, thanks as always for reading and reviewing!**


	19. Miles To Go Before I Sleep

***Warning: This chapter is almost straight Jenny and Lester fluff, with a little bit of Claudia and Nick. Major fluff warning. Also, a minor smut warning. But nothing too graphic, I promise.***

* * *

_"These woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep. And miles to go before I sleep." _~Robert Frost

Jenny's P.O.V.

"I cannot believe this," I muttered irritably as I trudged through the snow. An anomaly had opened up in the local park, while it was snowing, and now here I was with the rest of the team, chasing down whatever dinosaurs had come through this time.

"I am _never_ letting you talk me into this again," James complained at my side as he brushed snow from his hair. Since we'd begun dating, he always came with me to check out the anomalies. He was almost adorably protective.

"We came out here for _that_?" he said, looking down at the dinosaur we saw nosing through the grass. It was a tiny green lizard, with little wings folded against its back.

"It's a baby Rexy!' Abby squealed, cooing and fussing over the tiny creature.

"It's a baby Rexy that's going back through the anomaly," James said dryly, helping us round up the rest of them.

"Aw but Lester…" Abby started.

"There is no 'but Lester' about it. We are not keeping any more prehistoric friends," he said.

Sighing in defeat, she helped us gather up the tiny baby lizards and push them back through the anomaly. They chirruped happily whenever we picked them up, and I found myself particularly attached toone of the little guys. He beat his tiny little wings, which were still too small for him to fly on, and gazed up at me and blinked his little eyes.

"Give him to me, I'll put him back through," James said, and I sadly parted with the lizard.

When I got back home, I was surprised to see James's car out in front of my flat. He was leaning against it, apparently waiting on me. It was at least 12 a.m. in the morning. I'd stayed later than usual dealing with the media calls, so it wasn't surprising he'd beaten me home. But what was he doing here?

"Mind if I come in?" he asked, raising one eyebrow.

"Sure, go ahead," I said, opening the door and waving him in. He took my coat from me and hung it up on its hook, and I shook the snow from my hair that hadn't already melted.

"I have something to show you," he said, walking into my living room.

"What is it?" I asked, sitting down on the couch and motioning for him to take a seat. He sat down next to me on the couch and pulled something from inside his jacket, holding it carefully in his palms.

"If you tell _anyone_ I am losing my spine over you, I will fire you," he said, opening his hands and releasing the tiny lizard he held there.

"Oh James…" I said, a smile lighting up my entire face. It was the sweetest, most thoughtful thing anyone had ever done for me. The small lizard flew right to me, and I caught him deftly in my hand. He chirped happily, and James watched as I stroked the small reptile I held. It was the one I'd liked so much at the park.

"You just seemed so attached," he shrugged.

"Thank you so much. That is so sweet," I said, watching my new pet fly around the room. There were no windows open, so he was free to fly as much as he pleased. Tired but happy, I contently leaned against James's shoulder, knowing I couldn't even put into words just how touched I was by him bringing the reptile that was flying around the room home for me. Listening to his breathing, comforted by the solidity of his body next to mine, I fell asleep.

Claudia's P.O.V.

"I have an idea," I told Nick as we sat talking at his house. Neither of us could sleep, so he'd called and asked if I was awake, and I now sat on his couch, my feet propped on his lap.

"Shoot," he said, laying down on the couch and pulling me down next to him.

"Well, I think we should have a little welcome party for the new members of the ARC. Dr Noir and James The Second. They should be officially welcomed."

"I think it's a great idea. We could hold it at a nice hotel, make it formal," he nodded, the wheels in his head obviously turning.

"This is going to be so much fun!" I exclaimed happily.

"You're going to be stunning in an evening gown. Not that you looking beautiful is going to be different from any other day," he said, and I blushed and hid my face in his chest. He was always saying the sweetest things to me.

"How about this Saturday?" I said.

"Sounds good. Today's only Tuesday, we'll have plenty of time to plan," he said, wrapping his arm around my waist and holding me close. Smiling, I snuggled closer.

Jenny's P.O.V.

That Saturday, I walked out the door in my floor length evening gown, holding up the skirt to keep it from dragging. It was ivory colored, silk, halter necked, and with a slit up to my thigh for dancing. My hair was twisted up into an upsweep on the back of my neck, and I smiled when James kissed my hand and told me I looked positively beautiful.

When we arrived at the hotel and walked in, I waved at Sarah, who looked gorgeous in a bright red chiffon cocktail dress. She was on Becker's arm, who looked absolutely uncomfortable in his tux. Claudia wore a pale lavender gown, empire waist, strapless, also reaching the floor. She stood with her arm looped through Nick's, who was fidgeting with his black bowtie.

We stood at the base of the platform while Nick made a toast to Joseph and James The Second, and we clapped when he finished. Dr Noir looked almost comical in his dress shirt, white lab coat, slacks, dress shoes, and bowtie. James The Second was looking prim and proper in his form fitting black suit with white shirt and dark blue tie.

"Let's dance," I said, pulling James out to the center of the room. It was a slow song, so we fell into one of the same easy waltzes we'd done when I'd gone with him to the formal meeting at Whitehall. Everyone was on the floor dancing with their dates, and I let my track of time fade away as I danced with James over the night.

"That was wonderful," I said when James walked me into my flat. We'd danced for hours before finally coming home when the party started breaking up. I slid my high heels off and left them by the door, the dancing had been fantastic but my feet were killing me. My lizard, who I'd named Darcy after the main character in Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice," came flying up to greet me, and flew away after I petted him and fussed over him for a few minutes.

"I'll see you tomorrow," James said, kissing me goodnight.

I instinctively wrapped my arms around his neck, and his arms circled my waist. I leaned against him, and holding onto my waist, he pushed me against the wall. Driven by a sudden hunger, I moaned softly as his lips pressed against my neck and his hand gently stroked my side. When he returned his lips forcefully to mine, I grabbed the collar of his shirt, trying desperately to pull him closer.

He moved his lips from my mouth, to my neck, to my bare shoulder, and back again. I ran my hands down his chest, sliding his jacket from his shoulders. Letting love and lust control my actions, I loosened his necktie, unbuttoned his shirt, and slid them both off. He slid his arms under me and picked me up, his lips not once leaving mine. My entire body felt like it was animated by pure electricity, and my skin almost burned with heat wherever he touched me. I felt him lay me back on my bed and easily slide my dress off, tossing it aside.

The rest of our clothes were removed quickly, and I found myself overcome with my need for him. Ecstasy blurred my thoughts, and I found myself unable to form a coherent sentence. After gently exploring my body with his mouth, he finally returned his lips to mine. He kissed me hard and deep, and I felt my nails sink into his back as he came into me. Blood welled up under my fingernails, but I could only dig them deeper in as his mouth pressed harder and harder against mine.

* * *

I woke up to the feather light feeling of lips brushing against the back of shoulder, and I felt my eyelashes flutter open. From the drowsiness still making my eyes heavy, I hadn't gotten much sleep. I'd fell asleep with my back against James's chest, he had one arm over my waist, and he kissed the back of my neck and shoulder, and I smiled as I turned over to face him. I had fallen asleep last night in a state of post coital exhaustion, and I had slept better than I had in a long time with him being so close. I know that most people don't let things go so quickly, but even though we hadn't been dating long, we'd known each other for years and knew everything about each other.

"What time is it?" I murmured sleepily.

He glanced at the clock on my nightstand. "Five thirty in the morning."

"We have to be at work in an hour and a half then," I said, shivering with pleasure as his fingers stroked my spine.

"I don't normally sleep this late," he said exasperatedly.

"I think I might know why we're both a bit on the tired side," I said, lifting an eyebrow meaningfully.

"True enough," he nodded.

"Well, I have to get a shower. It may not hurt for you to run home and change clothes. I really don't want to have to explain you showing up in the same clothes you were wearing last night to the entire staff of the ARC. Or at least not before I've had my coffee," I said, getting to my feet and I pulling clothes out of my dresser and closet.

"I'll see you at work," he said, gathering his clothes up off the floor.

"See you then," I said, wanting to say something but holding back. Part of me wanted to tell him how I felt, to tell him I loved him, but I couldn't risk losing this. I'd tell him soon, but not right now. He gave me a quick goodbye kiss before leaving, and I went into the bathroom and got into the shower.

When I looked down, I could see faint bruises on my wrists, and I felt my skin flush when I remembered that at one point he'd pinned my wrists above my head as his body pressed down against mine. _Wait until I tell Sarah, _I thought amusedly, imagining her reaction. I got out of the shower and dried myself off with a towel before hurriedly getting dressed and throwing on some makeup. _Well, Becker was the best lover she'd ever had. Wait until I tell her James is the best I've ever had…_

Lester's P.O.V.

I walked into my flat, got the quickest shower in history due to the fact I had to be at work soon, and before pulling my shirt on, something caught my eye in the mirror. When I turned and looked again at my angled reflection, I saw the deep fingernail marks in my lower back. Memories of Jenny's nails bearing down against my back came to mind, and I found my thoughts wandering through last night, reliving every wonderful second of it. _You should have told her how you felt, idiot,_ I thought as I pulled the rest of my clothes on. But I didn't want to rush her, I didn't want anything in our relationship to change. I would be happy for us to be as we are right now for the rest of my life.

_Oh good god. Did your spine get sick of you and leave? _I mentally chastised myself. But even as I scolded myself for losing my usual mask of cool detachment over her, I still couldn't deny how deeply I loved her. Now all I needed to do was figure out how to tell her that and not risk damaging what was going on between us.

"_All of the things I want to say just aren't coming out right. I'm tripping on words, you got my head spinning I don't know where to go from here." _~Lifehouse

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**Just a couple of quick notes:**

**1) Sorry if the chapter was too fluffy or too graphic.**

**2) My angst bunny is hopping around, so I warn you that the next chapter will be very angsty.**

**3) This chapter is dedicated to CakeyxClickx, who said this was a " really great fic full of fluff, humour, and adventure!" That was a wondererful review:-)**

**4) Thanks for reading!**


	20. Don't Know What To Do Anymore

_"I'm glad youu have been my friend, in the time of our lives." _-Tyrone Wells

**Jenny's P.O.V.**

"What's on your mind?" Sarah asked me as we sat in her office at the ARC. I bit my lip, considering. She was technically my best friend, but still I was nervous of explaining the details of what had happened last night.

"Nothing really," I lied, and she looked up from her laptop, one eyebrow raised, her rapid typing ceased.

"Tell me," she insisted, turning to me. I sighed, knowing her well enough to know she wouldn't take no for an answer. And to be honest, there was no reason not to tell her, it wasn't really anything she wasn't supposed to know.

"It's about Lester, isn't it?" she asked to my surprise.

"How did you know?" I asked, my eyebrows raising.

"You always get this distant, contemplating look on your face when it's about him. What's wrong, did you two have a fight or something?" she asked worriedly.

"No, just the opposite actually," I laughed, twiddling with the sleeves of my blouse.

"Jenny…are those bruises?" she asked, her gaze fixing on my now exposed wrists that the sleeves had become pulled away from when I'd been messing with them. I glanced guiltily down at the purplish blue bruises on my wrists. Busted.

"Did the two of you…" she leaned forward and lowered her voice, "sleep together?"

"Ah, yes," I said, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear.

"And…?" she prompted.

"And judging from my wrists, do you even have to ask if it was good or not?" I asked bluntly.

She laughed softly. "Guess not."

Later, as I sat in my office working on paperwork, there was a knock at the door. I got up and opened the door, and one of the random members of the ARC staff stood there. Her name was Aly, I thought.

"There is someone in the main room asking to you see you, Ms Lewis," she said. I followed her out of my office and into the main room, only to find quite a surprise.

I smiled and tried to sound happy. "I didn't think you'd be back so soon, Danny."

**Joseph's P.O.V.**

Sitting in my office, I leafed through the black leather bound book I'd taken from the 1800's. It was filled with dates, handwritten. Nothing else, besides a few numbers. I had brought it more out of curiosity than thinking it could be anything useful. I sighed and stared out the window, blinking against the bright sunlight that had started melting the massive amounts of snow.

I sat in the window, sunlight glinting off the pages of the book in my hands. It was undoubtedly very old, but somehow something about it seemed important, I just no idea what. Curious to see if the dates connected in any other record, I walked over to my computer and started checking them against other records.

_One match found,_ read the small box that popped up in the middle of the screen. I clicked "continue" only to have another box pop up. _Government record: Please enter password, _this one read. A few minutes of tedious hacking later, I was in. I felt my brow furrow as I recognized the set-up of the website, and even more familiar was the logo in the top corner of the screen.

The site belonged to the ARC. Meaning somehow, the dates in the book had something to do with the anomalies.

**Nick's P.O.V.**

"Professor, I have something I need to tell you," Joseph said, walking into my office.

"What is it?" I asked.

"It's about that book I brought. I started researching the dates in it, and I found something pretty strange."

"Which is?"

"The dates in the book start at the same time the first anomaly popped up," he explained, looking frazzled and excited at the same time. The black spectacle reading glasses he wore were crooked and his usually disheveled black hair looked even more of a mess than normal.

"Huh," I said, pursing my lips.

"My reaction exactly. The dates in the book are the same as the dates of the anomalies that have shown up, and there are dates that aren't even here yet," he said, lifting his eyebrows.

"You mean to tell me that you have a book with the dates of all the anomalies due to appear?" I asked skeptically.

"That's exactly what I'm saying," he said, looking dead serious.

"Alright, so let's say for a minute that this is true, and we can figure out when the anomalies are going to appear. According to this theory, when is the next one due to appear?" I asked, leaning back in my chair.

"Tomorrow morning, I've even got an exact time. Eight thirty-six in the morning," he informed me, peering at me over the rim of his glasses.

"Does the Great Big Book Of Everything happen to tell you where this supposed anomaly is going to show up?" I asked, growing more skeptical by the minute. There was no possible way that one book could solve all of our problems, that it could just hand us the answers.

"The book is totally in numbers, handwritten, and there is a set of coordinates next to each date. I checked the coordinates next to the most recent dates, and sure enough, they match the location of the anomalies. So yes, I have an exact location," he said hurriedly, almost talking to fast for me to understand. I had never seen the calm, quiet doctor so excited.

"Dr Noir, you are a genius," I said, a smile spreading across my face. This was it. The end of our problems. "Let's see that book."

**Lester's P.O.V.**

"This better be good," I complained as Joseph and Nick led me to Joseph's office to show me something supposedly very important. At the moment, the only thing very important to me was getting back in my desk chair and continuing to work on paperwork.

"Trust me, it is," Nick said as we walked into the office and Joseph picked up the old leather bound book he'd brought with him from the 1800's.

"This book can be used to predict anomalies before they appear," the young doctor told me, and him and Nick shot into a long, migraine inducing explanation about how the dates matched up with the recent anomalies and something about coordinates and blah, blah, blah.

"So you mean to tell me that book can tell us when each and every anomaly will appear? You know what, forget I asked," I added when they opened their mouths to start explaining again. My head hurt bad enough already, I didn't need Pinky and The Brain going back into an overly detailed explanation about a bunch of stuff I barely even understood.

"The next one is in the morning, opening at the local airport," Joseph explained, fidgeting with the collar of his black dress shirt.

"Fine. We'll test this theory and see if anything becomes of it. Tell Becker to prepare his men in case anything happens to go wrong with the anomaly sealer. While hanging out with the walking personifications of Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb has been a bloody good time, I have paperwork to do," I said turning and leaving the office.

**Jenny's P.O.V.**

"I don't see anything," I said at eight twenty-two the following morning. We stood in the local airport, right on top of where the coordinates said the anomaly would appear.

"It's not time for it yet," Joseph reminded me. "The book says eight thirty-six."

"Does it look like we care what the book says? I think this is a wild goose chase. I already had Cutter to deal with, I didn't need another maverick on my hands," James said to Joseph.

"Joseph's right, sir. That book is hard evidence that the anomalies can be predicted before they appear. If only we knew who wrote it," Connor said as he readied the anomaly sealer.

"I think I have a pretty good idea of who," Nick said, crossing his arms.

"Helen," Claudia said, also thinking along the same lines apparently.

"She'd probably been recording in it and bringing it with her through her journies and at some point it must've gotten left in the 1800's," Nick nodded.

"Who cares?" James The Second said, lifting an eyebrow.

I sighed and shook my head, resisting the temptation to tell Becker to just shoot him and let Claudia and I handle the cover-up. As we waited for eight thirty-six to arrive, I let my thoughts stray off track. I thought of yesterday, when Danny had shown up. We had exchanged polite, civil words, but had not had the chance to talk alone yet.

"It's opening," Abby breathed in shock.

"Told you," Joseph muttered, picking at a fraying string on his white lab coat.

"We should check it out before we seal it, see where it goes. Maybe they form a pattern," Connor suggested.

"Oh hell n-" James began, but Abby had already leapt through, and of course Connor was right at her heels. Becker and his men followed to protect them, and James pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers and sighed in exasperation.

"It's from the future," Connor gasped as he tumbled back through to our side. He pulled Abby along behind him, and Becker and his men followed. Connor sealed it immediately, looking pale and frightened.

"Infested with future predators," Becker informed us.

"And here I was hoping Temple would get eaten," James muttered.

"He almost did. We all almost did," Becker said.

"But here's the interesting thing. There were still a few people. They were being attacked, but they were there," Abby said. "In other words, on the other side of that anomaly, the world as we know it is coming to an end," she said without melodrama.

"We have to go through and try to change it," she added.

"No, no, _no_. Last time something changed, Claudia Brown ceased to exist. We are not risking losing someone that's actually important," James said, his eyes briefly meeting mine.

"Uh, guys…" Connor said, looking at the anomaly, which had started flickering from sealed to unsealed.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"The power source is dying out in the anomaly sealer," he said, looking mortified by the mere sentence.

"Meaning…?" Claudia prompted.

"Meaning that when the power source dies, the anomaly becomes open," he said, staring down at the sealer.

"Oh that is just _wonderful_," James said sarcastically.

"So we go in. We keep the creatures distracted so they don't come through, that will buy you time to fix the sealer," Becker, ever the voice of reason, said.

"Sadly, Becker is right," I agreed, looking worriedly over at James, who begrudgingly agreed with me.

"Becker, you send your team in, and you, James The Second, and Stephen also go," I said, falling under my mask of professionalism and detachment.

"Yes ma'am," Becker nodded, rounding up his team and readying them.

"I should go and oversee the mission to make sure nothing goes wrong," I said to James, who was technically in charge. If he didn't have to handle the Minister, he would probably go, but we needed someone to go and make sure everything went as planned.

"You're not going. It is too much of a risk," he said simply.

"James, I have to make sure everything goes smoothly. Becker will protect me," I said, laying my hand on his arm.

"You are not going, it is too much of a danger Jenny," he said, shaking his head.

"I have to. I would tell you to go, but you have to handle the government end of it," I said. He studied me and seemed to realize there was no changing my mind about someone rational keeping an eye on the situation.

"You need to reconsider this," he said, meeting my eyes. I could tell how worried he was from his gaze, how much he feared something would go wrong.

"I have to go," I said, leaning up to give him a parting kiss.

And before he could order Becker's men to restrain me so I couldn't follow them, which I felt sure would be his next move, I stepped through the anomaly and into the chaos.

_Three hours later_

When I stepped through the anomaly three hours later, it was to return to my world, and not the chaotic world on the other side. Blood and dirt matted my hair and covered my clothes, but Becker had seen to it that I'd come out mostly unscathed. He had led the creatures away from the anomaly, using he and his men for bait, and Stephen and James The Second has stayed with me to protect me. The blood on my clothes was from the future predators they'd shot. By the time Becker and his team had circled back three hours later and we'd all come back through, we'd found the sealer fixed. Connor sealed the anomaly, and I looked around for James.

"Where's James?" I asked Abby.

"Who?" she replied.

"James Lester. Your boss," I said, not amused by her little joke.

Connor looked up from the anomaly sealer and, completely dead serious, said, "Jenny, seriously. We've never heard the name before in our life. We have no idea who you're talking about."

"_Don't know what to do anymore, I've lost the only love worth fighting for." _~ A Fine Frenzy

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Well, that's it. The end of the fic. Lester never existed, and Connor, Abby, Becker, Sarah, Nick and Claudia will live happily ever after. I think 20 chapters is a good place to leave it at, so I am going to start a new Primeval fiction now.**

**LOL just kidding. This fic has a minimum of 5 more chapters left to be written. I am not at all done with it. This chapter is dedicated to drodgers89, because we both have laptops now. Yep, this chapter was written on wireless. I don't have internet for it yet, so this was uploaded to the web from the desktop, but by Tuesday internet will be up and running :-)**

**And of course, thank you so much for reading and reviewing!**


	21. Your Words In My Memory

"_Your words in my memory are like music to me."_ ~Snow Patrol

**Jenny's P.O.V.**

I heard a dull ringing in my ears. My knees were weak. Everything started getting blurry, I heard several people saying my name, but I searched for one alone. The voice that belonged to someone that had ceased to exist. I knew that voice better than I knew my own. Not particularly deep, but not as high as Connor's. A British accent that, while definitely there, was not as prominent as Connor and Abby's were. Not unless he was angry, that is. When he was upset, his accent thickened. When I closed my eyes, I could hear James's voice, but only in my memory.

Suddenly my legs folded under me, and I felt several hands reach for me, but I couldn't respond. I could only let my knees hit the hard ground, and I tried to hang on to the pain, as it was the only real thing in the blurred world around me. I felt a hand try to grab mine and pull me up, and I limply let myself be pulled upright. When I woodenly turned to see who had pulled me up, I saw worried pale blue eyes, fringed by long black lashes, peering at me from over the edge of black reading glasses. Joseph.

"Jenny, you need to listen to me. Can you hear me?" he asked, his quiet voice for once high and clear. I offhandedly recognized the tactic doctors use to awaken unresponsive patients, and I nodded weakly.

"Tell me, who is James Lester?" he asked calmly.

"He heads up the ARC operation. He's James The Second's father and my boyfriend," I explained, my eyes begging the young doctor standing in front of me to understand.

"James Peregrine Lester?" Joseph said confusedly, and I felt a flicker of hope.

"Yes, that's him," I nodded.

"Jenny…he died years ago."

* * *

"This can't be possible," I whispered hoarsely as I knelt down in front of the headstone in the cemetery. It was clearly engraved on the front, far too real for me to deny.

_James Peregrine Lester_

_Beloved Father _

Tears came to my eyes, and I looked up at Joseph, who had driven me here. He'd taken his glasses off, so I could see the concern clear in his eyes. He seemed to be the type of person that worried about everyone. I turned back to the headstone and noticed a bouquet of beautiful assorted flowers laying beside it.

"Could you give me a moment?" I said to Joseph.

"Of course," he nodded and walked away.

"Why did you have to leave me?" I whispered, falling to both my knees in front of the headstone. "How did this happen?"

As the reality sunk in, I began crying. Then, as my emotions got the better of me, I doubled over sobbing. I had left him healthy and alive, and had returned to find him dead, and it was my fault. Had I listened to him, had I not gone through that anomaly, this most likely wouldn't have happened.

"I love you James…god I can't believe I never told you that," I sobbed, softly caressing the petals of the flowers laying by his grave. Probably from his kids. I don't know how long I was there, mourning the man I loved, but at some point it started raining. Pouring, actually.

"Who are you?"

I turned around to see a tall, beautiful teenage girl with light brown hair and James's eyes walk up. There was no doubt she was his daughter. She wore a dark purple tank top, dark jeans, worn out black Converses, a black denim jacket, and she carried a lace parasol as an umbrella. She was also breathtakingly stunning, almost ethereally so.

"Jennifer Lewis. I was James's friend," I said, wiping the mascara from my face where it had run because of both my tears and the rain. The girl examined me closely as if trying to place me, her color changing eyes like those of her father currently a greenish brown color.

"I'm sorry, I don't remember you," she said, her brow furrowed.

"I was more a friend from work. I'm, ah, sorry I wasn't at the funeral. What's your name?" I asked, taking her hand and pulling myself up when she held it out to help me.

"Elizabeth. His youngest daughter," she said, looking at the grave with her eyes faintly brightened by unshed tears.

"I am so sorry," I said, shaking my head.

"There's nothing anyone could have done to help him," she said, her gaze distant as she continued looking at the grave.

"Well I should probably go. It was nice to meet you Elizabeth," I said, holding out my hand.

She gave it a firm shake. "Nice meeting you too, Jennifer."

Too pained and too devastated to tell her it was Jenny, I walked off to find Joseph, not having to look long because he was still nearby. His lab coat hung over his arm and the thin cloth of his dress shirt clung to his frame as the rain poured down. His black hair dripped as we walked to the car, and he opened the passenger side door for me, his car none other than a red Ferrari California. I guess some things never change.

It brought yet another wave of pain as I remembered James hotwiring Joseph's car, and I tried to find some solid memory to hold on to so I didn't start crying again. I thought of the happier memories; laying on the ground together staring up at the stars, him giving me the lizard I'd become so attached to, dancing the night away at James and Joseph's welcome party, feeling his mouth against mine, waking up with him lying next to me…the list went on forever.

"I'm sorry, Jenny. I don't know what happened, but I'm sorry," Joseph said as he started the car and pulled out of the cemetery.

"Thank you. For being sorry, for believing me," I said, leaning my head tiredly back against the seat.

He smiled slightly. "You're welcome. I promise, if there is any way for it to be done, I'll help you make it right."

I turned to face him. "You mean that?" I asked.

"Of course I do. If I didn't mean it, I wouldn't have said it."

"How do we fix this?" I said more to myself than to him.

**Joseph's P.O.V.**

When I got back to my office at the ARC, I was tired, confused, and sopping wet from head to toe. I peeled my soaked shirt off and hung it over the back of my chair before pulling on one of the extra shirts I kept in the office. As I buttoned the dark blue dress shirt, I mulled over the day's events. James Lester had been dead for years, but Jenny was saying it had pretty much been just yesterday that he'd been alive and well. It wasn't that I didn't believe her, I just didn't know how to handle this. The official term for my position at the ARC was "Research Specialist," but how does research play into repairing a broken timeline?

I sat down at my desk and leaned back, staring at the ceiling. What could I do? I had promised her that if there was anything that could be done, I would do it, but I didn't know what _could_ be done. I was so deeply buried in thought that the knock at the door nearly startled me senseless. I jumped slightly, pushed my chair back, and got to my feet. I had a small office, so after it was pushed out, it was in the middle of the room. I almost tripped over it as I walked over to answer the door. Nick stood on the other side of the doorsill, looking concerned. I motioned for him to come in, and he walked in and closed the door behind him.

"Jenny told me you were going to help her set things right," he said, cutting right to the point.

"I can't just force her to adapt to this world that she doesn't understand. Professor, I know we're not supposed to interfere it's just that-"

"Joseph," he cut me off, "I'm not upset. I just came to see if there was anything I could do anything to help."

"I appreciate that, I do, but I don't know the first thing about fixing this sort of thing. I can translate just about any book you bring me, I can hack any file in the world, and I can tell you when the anomalies are going to appear, but I don't even know what I've gotten myself into, Nick," I said wearily.

"First of all, you're thinking too hard. You just said yourself that your thing is books and computers. Research. If you're going to do this, you have to do it your way," he said, putting his hands on my shoulders. Nick and I were very close friends, and he knew better than anyone that I do better typing something into Google or searching the index of a book than thinking it over and trying to piece it together in my head.

He took my glasses out of my lab coat pocket, which I had taken off because they give me a headache unless I'm using a computer or reading something, and slid them on me. He smiled and straightened them.

"There's the Doctor Noir we need. Now, you do this, and you do it your way," he said, taking me by the shoulders and pushing me down in my desk chair and pushing it over to my desk.

"Thanks, Professor," I said, opening my laptop. I didn't know if Google would help when trying to reverse an apparently altered dimension, but if that didn't work then I would find a book that would. Every inch of wall space that wasn't taken up by a window held a tall bookcase overflowing with books of every sort, so there was no doubt I could find something.

"Ah, I already see those gears turning. I'll let you handle it from here," Nick said, leaving the office.

Letting my fingers glide over the keys with a relaxing familiarity, I set to work.

**Jenny's P.O.V.**

I tried to refrain from getting my hopes up about fixing this awful mess, but Joseph's promise had elicited a small flicker of hope in me. If anyone could figure out how to fix this, it was the intelligent young doctor. I walked up to Connor in the main room, who of course asked if I was okay.

"Thank you Connor, but I'm fine," I lied, relying on my ability to pretend not to care to get me through the day. "Actually, I need a favor."

"Shoot," he said.

"I know you can hack the files. I don't suppose you could send them to my computer?" I asked.

"Sure, no problem," he said, walking over to the A.D.D. and hitting a few buttons.

When I returned to my computer, they were waiting for me onscreen. I knew I could ask anyone and they would catch me up, but I wanted to read about this version of the ARC for myself. I sat down and pulled up the first few files, which belonged to Connor, Abby, and Claudia. None of those were any different from their old ones, but I finally found files on the people I didn't know much about.

I pulled one up and began reading. An invasion of privacy maybe, but I needed to be filled in on the facts. The picture was undoubtedly of Joseph, and it was a recent one, it looked like it had been taken yesterday. For all I knew, it could've been. I scrolled past the photo and began reading the information.

_Name: Doctor Joseph Alexander Noir_

_Age: Twenty-seven_

_Appearance: 6' tall, light blue eyes, black hair, pale complexion._

_Position: Research Specialist_

_Background: Parents deceased, is a child prodigy, has a deeply ingrained phobia of fire, was cloned by Helen Cutter._

I hadn't known anything about his dead parents or his phobia of fire, but none of it seemed any different from exactly who he was before. No one seemed to be any different at all. It was an awful realization that with the exception of James having apparently been dead for years, this was the same world I had left before. No one except for him was in any different.

"Jenny?"

I looked up when Joseph stuck his head in my office and motioned for me to follow him, and I followed eagerly, hoping he had some sort of news on how to reverse this whole thing. We went into his office and he motioned for me to sit in the desk chair, which faced the laptop. He stood behind me and leaned over to click on something. A window popped up, and I recognized it as a log that he kept of the anomalies. He recorded where and when the anomaly appeared, where it led to, what kind of creatures came through, and how long it stayed open.

"I have an idea about how to fix this," he said, unbelievably calm. How could he be so calm if he'd come up with an idea about how to get James back?

"I've been doing some research, and by all means we should be able to go back through and fix whatever went wrong. When we come back through, it should be as it was when Lester was still alive. I already talked to Connor, the anomaly is still open. I'll go with you," he offered.

"When can we do this?" I asked, spinning around in the chair to face him and almost knocking him over because he'd been leaning against the back of it.

"We'll need to arm ourselves. And then we can go. We should go alone, because the more people that are with us the more we risk changing things again" he said, readjusting his glasses.

"Well what are you waiting for you? Let's go," I said, dragging him by the wrist to the armory.

He picked up a crossbow and held it like it was familiar to him, and I thought to myself that he must have practiced with one before to be so comfortable with the lethal weapon that shot the steel tipped arrows.

"So this plan is foolproof?" I asked as I pulled out a large rapid fire rifle.

"Almost completely. I researched to make sure this should work, and by all means nothing can go wrong," he said, slinging a quiver of the deadly looking steel tipped arrows over his shoulder.

I smiled as I loaded the gun in my hands. "Joseph Noir, you are a genius."

"_I've known a few guys who thought they were pretty smart, but you've got being right down to an art." _~Shania Twain


	22. Because Of You   I Am Afraid

"_I wanna run away, never say goodbye." _~Linkin Park

**Nick's P.O.V.**

"Where are Joseph and Jenny?" I asked Connor as I walked out into the main room. I had looked in both of their offices, and couldn't find them anywhere.

"I don't know. I haven't seen them," he shrugged.

"Well if you see them let me know," I said, going into my office and picking my phone up off the desk. I dialed Jenny and got her voicemail, so I called Joseph, and got the same thing. _What could they possibly be doing? _I thought to myself right before it dawned on me. They'd gone to set it right. My PR person and my reckless former student. Joseph had found a way to fix it and instead of waiting for back-up, he'd taken Jenny to the sight of the anomaly. They'd up and ran away without a word.

I went into the armory and found one of the crossbows missing and knew I was right without a doubt. Even when he'd been a student in my class, Joseph had been fascinated by archery. He'd always preferred a bow to a gun any day of the week. If there had been any doubt where him and Jenny were before, there sure wasn't one anymore. I also noticed that one of the rapid fire rifles Jenny fancied so much was gone.

I left the armory and went to find Becker, who was sitting in his office talking to Sarah about some new history book of hers. I tapped him on the shoulder, and he glanced up. I hastily explained that Joseph and Jenny had gone back to the anomaly site and intended on trying to make things right.

"I don't want to stop them, I just don't think it would hurt if they had some back-up. I was wondering if you and some of your men could go through the anomaly to keep them safe. They can both take care of themselves, but future anomalies are always dangerous," I said.

"Of course. I'll go prepare my men," he said, rising to his feet.

As he walked away, Sarah grabbed his arm. "Be careful."

"I will, I promise," he nodded, squeezing her hand. She smiled and released him, watching him go as he left the room.

**Jenny's P.O.V.**

"So what exactly do we need to change to make things right?" I asked Joseph as we walked through the anomaly and into the future, our weapons held at the ready.

"Very little, if my theory is right. Judging from what you said, hardly anything was done when it changed the first time. So we figure out exactly what you did, and we do that same thing again. It should reverse the change," he explained as he shot an arrow into a future predator in the head, right between the eyes.

"So I just need to figure out what we did that changed time?" I asked, looking around at the area where Stephen, James The Second and I had been standing the first time we'd come through.

"It can be something small. Any small change can result in a very big mess," he said, pulling a scalpel from his lab coat and using the end of it to carefully pick through the litter on the ground.

"For want of a nail, the kingdom was lost," I nodded, reminded strongly of the old poem.

He laughed softly. "Exactly. Only it's more like 'For want of a nail, the bureaucrat was lost.'"

"True," I agreed, using the end of my shoe to look for anything that seemed strange in the strewn litter that lay across the ground. I saw something glimmer out of the corner of my eye, and I picked up the object.

I stared at what I held in my hand. "Joseph, I think I found something."

**Becker's P.O.V.**

I guided my team through the anomaly and into the future, and we immediately had to start shooting at the future predators. I thought this whole "set things right" mission was a colossal waste of time, but when you get orders, sadly you must follow them. Joseph reminded me of what Nick must have been like when he was younger, and the thought of another Nick in general was simply frightening. Cutter was a good man, but he was also apparently not a big fan of my all time favorite saying: Shoot first, think later.

I looked around for Jenny and the idiot doctor, but with all the collapsed buildings and predators, it was nearly impossible to see more than five feet in front of you. I walked through the ruins, searching for some signs of life. I heard voices several yards away; one female and one male, the latter's voice almost inaudible it was so quiet. Jenny and Joseph, no doubt.

**Jenny's P.O.V.**

"This would definitely interfere with things," Joseph said as he examined the mobile phone I'd found. It was Stephen's, he had apparently dropped it while we'd been here.

"It's hard to believe that modern technology ending up in the wrong place could make so much go wrong," I said.

"So we take this back with us, and by all means, if all goes as planned, everything should be fixed," he said, tucking the phone in his pocket.

"Can I ask you something?" I said as we walked back towards the anomaly.

"Sure."

"It's not that I don't appreciate it, because trust me I do, but why are you doing this for me? There's a risk that everything you could go wrong, yet you're chancing it for a woman you barely know," I said confusedly.

"Because I know how hard it is to lose the people you love. My parents died when I was seven, and ever since I wished there was a way to turn things around and make it right, for them, for my unborn baby sister. I figured if I couldn't turn what went wrong in my life around, the least I can do is try to fix your life. Trust me, I know where you're coming from," he said, his eyes slightly faraway.

"Do you have any idea how tempted I am to shoot both of you and go tell Nick 'Oops, sorry'?" Becker's voice said from behind us. When we turned around, he was walking towards us, his beloved gun in hand. I had never seen someone that liked using their gun so much, not even Stephen.

"Sorry for the inconvenience," I said sarcastically.

"Are you coming with Jenny and I or are you going to hang around and become a future predator's Happy Meal?" Joseph asked boredly, fiddling with the phone in his hands.

Becker sighed and looked between Joseph and I. "I guess I'm going with you."

**Claudia's P.O.V.**

"I'm sure they'll be back soon," I told Nick as he paced at the anomaly site. He was worried sick about Jenny, Joseph and Becker. I laid my hand on his shoulder to still him, and he turned to face me. I leaned up and gave him a quick, reassuring kiss.

"If they're not back soon, we'll send in more of Becker's team," I said.

"Yeah, I guess we could do that. Hell, what's the point of having a team of military trained men with very big guns if you can't use them once in a while?" he said, seeming to ease up a little. I laced my fingers with his and we turned to the anomaly, which had started flickering just slightly in the middle. We both knew what that meant.

I breathlessly whispered, "They're back."

**Sarah's P.O.V.**

I sat in my office at the ARC, twiddling with the hem of my skirt, worrying myself sick over Becker. We all knew what kind of danger was in the future, and backup team or no backup team, he was at risk. I knew it was his job and he enjoyed taking risks, but I still worried for him excessively. I saved out the document I was typing in and closed my laptop, unable to concentrate any longer.

_He'll come back. He has to,_ I told myself, getting to my feet and walking over to the window. I stared out, unable to consider the mere thought of him not coming back. He _had_ to come back. He couldn't leave this team. He couldn't leave me. I didn't even know if I could function without him. As I stared out a picture of us that was framed on my desk, I realized what Jenny must be going through. She had returned to find out that the man she loved had been dead for years.

I thought of my vague memories of James Lester, and could easily see how him and Jenny would be compatible. He had been sarcastic, intelligent, fiercely loyal to his team even though he would probably fire anyone that suggested it, and he'd had very pretty eyes. The more I thought about it, the more he seemed just her type.

I hadn't been working here long when he'd been attacked and killed by a creature that had come through an anomaly that had opened in the ARC, but we'd had some interesting times when he was alive. Watching him and Connor bicker had been quite amusing. It had been an ongoing debate throughout the anomaly hunting team about what color his eyes were, and we'd finally just decided they were cat eyes. Thinking of happy memories caused my thoughts to again stray to Becker, and I squeezed my eyes shut.

_Oh Becker, you have to come back, _I thought. _You just have to._

**Jenny's P.O.V.**

I closed my eyes and tried to regulate my breathing as Joseph, Becker and I stepped through the anomaly. There were two options about what was on the other side; a world where James was dead, and one where he would be waiting for me. My entire being pleaded for the latter, and I felt the buttons on my clothes pull as the magnetic field of the anomaly tugged at them. A moment later, my feet touched ground.

I was too afraid to open my eyes. Too afraid that James wouldn't be there. I was shaky, and my body felt weak. I held on to the feeling and sound of real things to keep myself from passing out from the cold fear spreading through me, from the soft _clump, clump, clump _Becker's shoes against the ground to the coarseness of the sleeve of Joseph's lab coat brushing against my arm.

I knew I had to open my eyes, I really did, but it killed me to consider the fact that James may not be there. And scarier still was the thought that something drastic had went wrong and someone else had ended up not existing or dead. I could hardly believe that I had done all this for the sake of one person, I hadn't even been remotely close to this impulsive when I had first rejoined the ARC.

Taking a deep breath, I opened my eyes. I felt a hand on my shoulder, and I turned around to see who was standing there.

"_Because of you…I am afraid." _~Kelly Clarkson


	23. Life Has Moments Hard To Describe

"_Can you hear my hear my heart beating like a hammer, beating like a hammer? Help I'm alive my heart keeps beating like a hammer." _~Metric

**Jenny's P.O.V.**

My pulse pounded in my ears as I turned around. I was afraid. I was so afraid of what was over my shoulder. I felt the weight of someone's hand on my shoulder, and I felt like my body was moving in slow motion as I turned around. I took a deep breath and prepared myself for the worst. When I saw what was in front of me, I felt my already erratic heart rate start pumping faster than I could breathe, and I almost had to gasp for air.

James.

He was standing in front of me, from his perfectly combed hair to his impeccably tailored suit. At the moment, I had never seen anything more beautiful in my entire life. Without a word, my breath still coming too fast for me to breathe properly, I grabbed him by the lapels and kissed him so hard that it made my heart beat even faster and I had to gasp slightly to breathe. I clung to him like he would disappear at any given moment.

His arms wrapped gently around my waist as I felt his lips move against mine, and I tightened my hand in his hair, shuddering not only with the pleasure of the kiss but also with the unbelievable reassurance of him simply being there. It was at that moment, as we kissed in front of that glittering anomaly, that I knew we were well and truly inseparable. Nothing, not even the changing of time, could ever keep us apart. Not now, not ever.

I held onto him until he gently let his lips disengage from mine, and though I pulled out of the kiss, I still had one hand holding on tightly to the front of his jacket, as if I would let him go and he would simply fade away. Shaking, I leaned forward and leant my head against his chest, hating myself for going through that damn anomaly in the first place and nearly changing our entire history together.

"I'm so sorry," I whispered, inhaling the familiar scent of his very expensive cologne.

"Sorry for what? You may have had me worried sick, but you don't have to apologize for going through that anomaly to make sure things went right," he whispered into my hair.

"It's a long story," I said, my voice muffled by his shirt. His hand gently stroked my back, and I knew I had to tell him. When he had disappeared, I had thought I wouldn't ever get this chance.

"James…" I began, tilting my head up to look at him. "I don't know how it happened, or why, or how long it's been going on, but I have something I have to tell you. After everything that's happened, after all we've went through, somewhere along the way, I fell in love with you. And I know that you don't feel the same way and I don't expect you to, but I-"

"I love you too," he cut me off, taking my face in his hands. He leaned his forehead against mine, and I could feel his breath against my face. I don't know how long we stood there, but I was content to just let time drain away into the background.

**Lester's P.O.V.**

"Are you sure there's nothing I can get for you?" I asked Jenny as I situated her on my bed, propping her head on the pillows. She hadn't mentioned it, but she was definitely tired, I could tell. I had brought her back to my flat after us and the rest of the team had left the anomaly site, where the anomaly had now closed, and she was insisting I stop fussing over her.

"Positive. It's very sweet of you to be so worried, but I promise you I'm fine," she said.

"If you're absolutely sure…"

"Completely sure, James," she laughed. "Lay with me," she added, sliding over.

I slid in next to her, and she immediately curled up against my side, laying her head on my shoulder. I wasn't use to the ease and familiarity, but it still felt completely natural as she traced patterns on the top of my hand with her index finger.

"I was thinking about something," I began hesitantly.

"About what?" she asked, propping herself on one elbow to face me.

"You've seen this flat, it's far too big for one person alone. And you live by yourself," I started.

"And…?" she prompted, raising her eyebrows.

"And I was wondering if you wanted to…move in," I finally said, watching her for her reaction to the oddly sudden proposal.

She finally smiled. "I would love that. If you're sure I wouldn't be imposing, that is," she added,

"If you would be imposing, why would I have asked, for my personal entertainment?" I asked dryly.

"I'll go pack my things tomorrow after work," she said, laying back down next to me.

"Right now you should get some rest," I told her.

"I think I will. I'll see you in the morning," she said, making herself comfortable.

"See you in the morning," I said, sliding my tie free of my collar and tossing it on the ground before falling asleep.

**Nick's P.O.V.**

When I got to the ARC the next day, still tired from yesterday's encounter with a future anomaly, my first sight was Claudia, who was talking on her cell phone to someone, a friend from the sounds of it.

"That's wonderful, I can't wait to see you," Claudia said before hanging up.

"Can't wait to see who?" I asked, walking over and giving her a light kiss on the mouth as a good morning.

"My cousin Rachel is here, she just flew in from America," she explained, taking my hand as we walked to her office.

"How old is she?"

"Twenty-nine. She also looks like she could be a model," she said, her tone slightly envious.

"It's no offense to your cousin, but there's no way she's anywhere close to as beautiful as you are," I said.

Claudia blushed bright pink. "You're delirious if you think I am at all pretty," she said, shaking her head as she sat down on the chair across from my desk.

"No, you're not pretty. You are absolutely, positively gorgeous," I said, reaching into my desk drawer and pulling out a long black velvet box.

Before she could again tell me I was delirious, I handed it across to her with a small smile. She looked at me questioningly before opening it, and she gasped in delight at the gold locket nestled in the box. Her entire face lit up, and she looked up at me.

"Put it on me?"

"Of course," I said, coming across and taking the necklace from her. I clasped it around her neck, and she opened it to look at the pictures. One was of her and I, the other of her and the rest of the team. We'd had one of the staff take it, and it was a very cramped picture. And it would be, seeing as me, her, Jenny, Lester, James The Second, Stephen, Abby, Connor, Joseph, Sarah, Becker and Danny were all cramped into it. _Thank god for wide angle lenses,_ I thought as she smiled down at the pictures.

"Nick, it's beautiful," she said, looking up at me.

I leaned down and kissed her. "I'm glad you like it."

"I love it," she smiled.

"I want some more of it," muttered a voice in the doorway. I turned to see Joseph standing there, tucking his glasses into his pocket.

"Huh?" Claudia and I said in unison.

He shook his head in exasperation. "It's an American country music song. Oh never mind," he added at our puzzled looks. "Anyways, I thought I would let you guys know that the next anomaly is due to open in an hour and a half."

"Alright, show me the coordinates and I'll get the team ready," I said, somewhat reluctantly giving Claudia one more quick kiss and leaving the office.

"You really are crazy about her, aren't you?" Joseph laughed as we walked into his office.

"Completely," I agreed as I walked over to his desk with him. He slid his glasses back on and opened the book of dates, eyes flicking up and down the page until he found what he was looking for. He rattled off the coordinates, but I still had one last question.

"So Joseph, I have to ask you something," I said.

"Shoot," he said, perching on the edge of his desk chair and flicking a strand of hair from his eyes.

"Why don't you have a girlfriend? You're smart, and you've got a lot going for you, yet I've never heard of you having a girlfriend," I said, leaning against the side of his desk.

"Why does it surprise you?" he asked, looking up at me.

"You're a doctor, and a fairly attractive one. It seems like you'd be dating someone," I shrugged.

Taking what I'd said completely wrong, he tilted his glasses down and peered at me over the top of them, his blue eyes clearly showing his amusement. "I'm flattered Professor, but you're really not my type."

**Jenny's P.O.V.**

"I can carry that," I protested as James carried a small jewelry box into his flat that night after work. My flat had been very sparsely decorated, so I'd only had my things and a few knickknacks to bring in my car, and he refused to let me carry any of it. A British gentleman at heart, I suppose.

"Is that it?" he asked, looking at my empty car.

"Yep. That's everything," I said, following him into his flat.

I hung my clothes up on the other side of his closet, and I set up my laptop on one of the spare tables in the living room. I placed my jewelry box on a shelf of the bookcase, and I had a couple of other random knickknacks I placed around here and there. I felt at home already, and I poked around the refrigerator for something to eat, and not finding much.

"Do you not have any food?" I laughed, pulling a glass from the cabinet and fixing a glass of water.

"Not alot of it. I usually don't have time to eat much," he shrugged, loosening his tie and laying it on an ironing board.

"You _iron_ your ties?" I said incredulously.

"I was making Connor to do it when he was living here, but since he moved out I've been doing it," he said, running the iron over his tie and wincing when he burned his finger.

"Let me do that before you hurt yourself," I said, taking it from him and easily smoothing the tie out without leaving a single burn on myself. "See? This is a job for women," I pointed out.

"Exactly why I had Connor do it," he argued, pulling a box of pasta out of one of the cabinets and starting water.

"You can cook?" I asked, lifting an eyebrow. He didn't respond, just continued with his work. Leaving him to it, I walked down the hall to explore my new flat a bit. Not half an hour later, the smoke detectors were going off.

I dashed back into the kitchen as he turned them off, and I raised my eyebrows at him inquiringly. He picked up the pot and showed me the charred mess at the bottom that had once upon a time been pasta. It was blackened and clumped up, completely stuck to the bottom.

"What happened?" I demanded.

"I have no idea. It told me to let the water boil and then drop the pasta, so I did. Then it said to let it cook for seven minutes, so I walked off and let it cook for seven minutes, and when I came back into the kitchen, the smoke detectors started going off. I may have let it cook an extra couple minutes or so, but I don't think that could have hurt anything. I have no idea what went wrong," he said confusedly.

I sighed, shaking my head. "James, you're supposed to _stir _the pasta while it's cooking."

"Oh," he said, looking down at the charred mess. "Well I guess I know what went wrong now."

"How have you even been fending for yourself this long?" I laughed, simply throwing the pot in the trash. There was no hope for it.

"I haven't. I made Connor do it."

"Did you make Connor do everything?" I asked, pulling more pasta out of the pantry and starting another pot of water.

"Pretty much," he said, leaning against the counter.

"Well from now on, let me do the cooking. And the ironing. On second thought, let me deal with anything flammable," I said.

"I always thought you would make a wonderful little homemaker," he said.

"Homemaker? _Homemaker_?" I repeated, mock offended.

When he nodded, I ran icy cold water in a glass and dumped it on his head, and he lifted an eyebrow as he glanced down at his soaked shirt. He pulled out a tea kettle and filled it with water before turning it over above my head, and I started at the cold. We ended up having a complete out and out water fight, though amusingly enough, he didn't crack a smile once. He simply threw water at me, appearing completely serious and composed the whole time.

By the time I finally called a truce, we were both sopping wet from head to toe. Blinking water out of my eyes, I walked over to the stove and dropped the pasta into the now boiling water. I hadn't known moving in with him would be so much fun.

"Never a dull moment," he noted dryly.

"Never a dull moment," I agreed.

"_Life has moments hard to describe, feeling great and feeling alive."_ ~Aly and A.J.

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**Author's Note:**

**Sorry for the majorly fluffy chapter, but after the last one having so much angst I wanted to lighten it up a little. Also, a new character introduced in the next chapter may or not become a love interest for Danny ;-) I am starting a Claudia and Nick story after I finish this one, so if anyone has any ideas let me know. I figure I'll make this one 25 chapters and finish unless for some reason I end up doing 30, but I doubt it seeing as there isn't a lot left to be done with it.**

**LOL enough of my babbling! Thanks for reading and reviewing!**


	24. I Don't Regret This Life I Chose For Me

_"See this girl she walks up to me, got body like you would not believe. First glance, she had me in a trance."_ ~Blake Lewis

**Danny's P.O.V.**

I was sitting in a small café, grabbing a bite to eat on the way home from work, when I noticed Claudia walk in along with a friend. A very pretty friend. It was a small café, so I could make out her features even from where I was. Long auburn hair, bright blue eyes, ivory skin. She was gorgeous.

"Hey Danny," Claudia said with a wave when she noticed me sitting there. "This is my cousin Rachel."

"Nice to meet you, Rachel," I said, shaking her hand. "Would you and Claudia like to join me?" I offered, motioning to a free chair.

"Thanks, but I wouldn't want to intrude," she said. She was definitely American, her voice was like Joseph's and held no trace of an accent.

"You wouldn't be intruding at all. Please, sit," I said, pulling out chairs for her and Claudia.

"So, what kind of food do they have here?" Rachel asked Claudia and I as she leafed through a menu, eyes flicking up and down the pages.

"I would recommend the croissants," Claudia said.

"Really? I was going to suggest the herb pasta," I said, taking a drink of my tea.

"Well then, I'll order both and then see which one I like better. Knowing be though, I'll probably end up eating both," Rachel said, closing her menu and laying it back on the table.

"I like a girl with an appetite," I grinned, though she didn't have a chance to respond because the waitress walked up.

They ordered their food and asked for drinks, and then we got back to our conversation. It turns out Rachel and I have a lot in common. Both single, have both lost our moms, and she had a little sister that was attacked and killed by an animal just like my little brother had been killed by a creature. The perfect woman.

I had been shocked at Lester and Jenny's little display a couple days ago in front of the anomaly, but all the same Jenny had every right to move on. Even though I didn't quite understand what she could possible see in him, I was glad she was happy. And there was definitely no doubt she was happy with him, I could tell that much. And I figured if she could move on, so could I.

**Sarah Marie's P.O.V.**

After a thoroughly exhausting day of classes, I walked into my dorm and collapsed on the couch. I glanced up at the pictures hanging on the wall, and smiled. One of them was a recent one of me, Daddy, Lizzie, and James. Though she was only going to be turning twelve in a month and a half, Liz was already a heartbreaker. The other was of Stephen and me, and he had his arm wrapped around my waist.

Now there was an interesting issue. Stephen. Mystery wrapped in secrets topped off with intrigue. He had told me about the ARC, about what they did, and also that I could tell no one, not even family. I was still lost in thought when my mobile rang, and I pulled it out to answer it.

"Hi Daddy," I said as I hit the talk button.

"Hello. You'll be there at your uncle's house tomorrow won't you?" he clarified.

"Of course. You know we all go there on Saturdays so we can see you."

"Actually, there's someone I want you to meet."

"Someone?" I repeated, not liking the sounds of it.

"Yes, someone. I would very much like for you to meet her," he said, and I felt a growing sinking feeling. _Her_. He had a girlfriend. I had always known he would have to move on after the divorce, but I was still cautious of another woman in his life. I couldn't bear for him to get hurt again.

"Okay. What's she like?" I asked.

"It's a bit hard to put into words, but you'll meet her tomorrow," he told me.

"Great, I'm looking forward to it. See you then," I said.

"See you then," he said, and hung up.

I laid my phone down on the coffee table and let my thoughts wander off, and I started trying to picture this new woman. I felt sure she was sophisticated, pretty, and intelligent, just the type of woman he would go for. But there had to be something about her that was special, something that had caused him to let his guard down. Ever since the divorce, he'd been very cautious of women._ And if I find out she hasn't been treating him well, I'll beat the living hell out of her,_ I thought.

**Lester's P.O.V.**

"Are you sure about this?" Jenny said that Saturday as I opened her car door for her when we arrived at my brother's house so she could meet the kids.

"Positive," I said as we walked up to the house, where Sarah and Elizabeth were already sitting. Instead of their usual enthusiasm, they seemed slightly cautious. Elizabeth still leapt to her feet and ran over to hug me, but I could tell that both her and her sister were tense.

"Are you my daddy's new girlfriend?" Elizabeth asked Jenny, releasing me and peering up at her with guarded brown eyes.

"I am. It's nice to meet you, I'm Jenny Lewis," she said, holding out her hand, which Elizabeth hesitantly shook.

"Nice to meet you too. Elizabeth Lester," she introduced herself, still studying Jenny carefully, like she was some fascinating new species.

"Hi, I'm his other daughter, Sarah Marie," Sarah said as he walked over and also shook Jenny's hand.

"Nice to meet you," Jenny said with a nod.

"Hello Jenny," James said as he walked out of the house in a tee shirt, blazer, and jeans.

"James The Second," she nodded in greeting.

"And hopefully the last," Sarah added under her breath.

"Dad, haven't you ever heard that you're not supposed to bring your work home with you?" he asked as he turned to me, one eyebrow raised.

"What does he mean?" Sarah asked.

"Oh, you mean they don't know that you're Jenny's boss?" he said, feigning shock. "Whoops. Well, I'm sure it'll come up now," he said, lifting his eyebrows.

Sarah and Elizabeth broke the tension by telling us all to come inside, and I followed them in. Sarah went into the kitchen and fixed us all tea and Elizabeth took our coats, the perfect little hostesses. I offered for Jenny to sit down, and she uneasily perched on the edge of an armchair, looking extremely uncomfortable.

"Can we talk for a second?" James asked as he motioned down the hallway to the guest room he stayed in. I somewhat hesitantly followed, wondering what on earth he could want to talk about.

**Jenny's P.O.V.**

"Hi Elizabeth," I said as she came over and sat down on the couch.

"Hey," she said quietly, still seeming guarded.

"So, tell me about yourself," I said at an attempt to make conversation.

"What do you want to know?"

"Do you have any hobbies?" I asked.

"No, I just sit around all day counting the tiles on the kitchen floor. Yes of _course_ I have hobbies, genius," she said dryly, sounding just like her father._ There's no doubt they're related,_ I thought amusedly.

"Like what?" I asked her, taking a sip of tea.

"Reading. Writing," she said, motioning to the laptop sitting on the coffee table.

"What kind of books do you read?"

"Gone With The Wind, Pride and Prejudice, Call Of The Wild, White Fang, The Great Gatsby…well you get the idea. Classics," she shrugged.

She ran her fingers over a black lace parasol that was propped against the side of the couch, and I felt my eyes widen slightly when I realized it was the same one she'd been carrying at the cemetery when the timeline had been altered. I studied her and recalled the gorgeous, grown up young woman I had glimpsed, easily seeing the connection.

"What do you write?" I asked, motioning to the laptop.

"Fan fictions, poems, short stories, mainly just stuff for practice until I can write something for real. I'm going to be college to get a degree in creative writing," she explained, looking and sounding far older than her eleven years.

"James has said so much about you, he's so proud of all of you," I said, and she laughed, seeming to loosen up a little. I was glad she was growing more comfortable, and it turned out that we had a pretty good time together. Sarah came in at one point and sat down with us, and the three of us ended up getting along great.

**Lester's P.O.V.**

When I came back into the living room after talking to James, all of my girls were sitting around, talking and laughing. I sighed in relief to see them getting along so well, glad that the general tension had gone away. I had been worried that this would be a disaster, but they were talking like they'd all been friends for years.

"Jenny, you would not _believe_ how amazing of a kisser Stephen is," Sarah said, seemingly unaware I was standing right behind her.

"Ah, Sarah…" Jenny began when she noticed me standing there.

"We haven't, you know, slept together yet, but I don't think it'll be long," Sarah plowed on with a wolfish grin

"Good to know," I said, and Sarah almost fell right off the couch.

"Hi Daddy," she squeaked.

"Remind me to kill Stephen later," I said, shaking my head exasperatedly.

"You know him?" she asked, brow furrowed.

"I'm his boss, unfortunately," I sighed.

Her eyes went briefly wide, and then she regained her composure. I wondered what had surprised her, but didn't have time to ask because my phone started going off. I picked it up and dismally listened as the ARC informed me we had a new anomaly. _Lovely_, I thought sarcastically as I hung up.

"Jenny, James, we have to go. Work," I said, holding up the phone.

"I'll see you next weekend Daddy," Sarah said, giving me a quick kiss on the cheek.

Elizabeth gave me a quick hug, and they both told Jenny bye as the three of us walked out the door. According to Joseph's book, it was opening in forty-five minutes. Jenny and I got into my car, and James got into his large black pickup truck. As I started the car, I thought back to my talk with him.

He had wanted to know if we could tell Sarah Marie and Elizabeth about the ARC, he didn't feel right keeping it from them. It was really bothering him, and I couldn't blame him. It bothered me, too. I didn't like keeping it from them, but it was for their own safety that they didn't know. The ARC was no place for a civilian, and that was exactly what I'd told him. And for the first time in years, it had actually been a civil conversation, with no venom spitting and smart remarks. It made me think that maybe, just maybe, there was a chance of fixing things between us.

"_I don't regret this life I chose for me." _~Daughtry

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**Author's Note:**

**Hi guys. Haha I can't believe I'm almost done with this fic, sometimes it's like I still just started writing it. I have had so much fun, and all of you readers are amazing! I really appreciate the support and encouragement from all of you, it has made it a lot easier to write knowing you guys are reading and reviewing. I never expected such a positive response to my first ever Primeval fic! Also, there is lots of Caught In Between stuff on my profile (Wallpapers, a really awesome manip by drodgers89, my cast for the OCs in the story, a trailer, etc.) if you get bored LOL.**

**Again, thank you so much for reading and reviewing!**


	25. Cut To Mirror Your Intentions

***Note: This chapter is set six months after the end of chapter 24. Also, a major fluff warning****

* * *

"_This love will take my everything." _~Trading Yesterday

**Six Months Later…**

**Jenny's P.O.V.**

"Where are you taking me?" I laughed as James helped me into his car.

We had officially been together for a year now, and he said he was taking me somewhere special. I had told him that dinner would be fine, but he insisted on somewhere that was different. A place we could be alone. I was curious about what he had planned, and seeing as he wasn't really the type to plan some wild romantic escapade, this had to be something pretty special.

"You'll see," he said cryptically, cranking the car and pulling out.

I turned the radio on and stared out the window as he drove, wondering where he was taking me. He'd said I could dress formal or casual, that it didn't matter, which had only confused me more. I was terribly impatient, but he refused to even give me a hint.

Right before we got there, he told me to close my eyes. I begrudgingly closed them as he pulled me out of the car and guided me along. My heels started sinking in something, but I couldn't figure out what. I heard a soft whooshing noise, and I couldn't quite place the scent lingering in the air. He held on to my arm and guided me, and we finally came to a stop.

"You can open your eyes now."

I opened them and gasped in shock when I realized where we were. I was standing in the sand, looking out the ocean. The airy scent I had noticed had been the salty smell of the ocean. It was late afternoon, so the sun hadn't quite begun setting yet. I looked around and realized the beach was completely deserted, and I wondered how James had possibly managed to clear it out.

"James, this is…amazing," I said, mesmerized by the sight before me.

Smiling, I kicked my heels off and started walking barefoot by the shoreline. James walked next to me, and our fingers laced together as we walked. The fading sunlight cast shadows on his face, turning his eyes a gorgeous green color. The breeze lifted my hair just slightly and blew a few strands in my face, and the water briefly washed over my feet before going out again. I looked down at the shells scattered across the sand, unable to believe one moment could be so perfect.

"I've always wanted to go to the beach, but I never had time," I said to James.

"Is it what you expected it to be?" he asked.

"It's even more amazing than I thought," I said, stopping and looking over the water at the slowly setting sun.

I sat down in the sand and pulled him down next to me as I watched the sun slowly leave the sky, taking the vibrant colors with it. I leaned against his shoulder, becoming absorbed in my surroundings. I felt James's hand gently stroke my hair, and I smiled as I traced patterns on his hand. I had never felt so happy, so alive, so helplessly in love.

"There's one more thing I want to show you," he whispered, and I let him help me to my feet.

He guided me across the beach until we reached the peer, and we began walking down it. We finally came to a stop at the very end, and I looked down at the water. The last of the color in the sky was reflected there, and I found myself entranced by the sheer beauty of every part of where I was. James stood behind me, and I could tell he was watching me. But knowing his eyes were on me didn't make me tense, actually his presence was reassuring. Knowing he was there, knowing we were here together and that I would remember this moment for the rest of my life, made me happy to no end. Before now, I had understood love, I had understood what it meant to be in love, but I hadn't realize it was possible to love someone so deeply. It consumed me completely and made me almost dizzy sometimes, and it was the most amazing thing I had ever felt.

"Jenny," James said, and I looked up at him, abandoning my thoughts.

"I brought you here because there was something I wanted to ask you," he began slowly, seeming nervous and out of his element. Faint light still lit his features so I could see the conflicted emotions in his eyes. Love, fear, nervousness, need.

"What is it?" I asked, wondering what on earth could be making him of all people nervous.

"I wanted to ask you to…I wanted to…" his voice trailed off uneasily, and I looked at him questioningly.

He finally seemed to regain his nerve and piece his thoughts together, because he took a deep breath and met my eyes before doing something completely unexpected. He sunk to one knee in front of me and produced a small, black velvet box. He opened it, and the remaining light in the sky illuminated the gorgeous diamond ring nestled inside.

"Jennifer Lewis, will you marry me?"

My breath started coming too fast, and I felt my eyes widen. It was so unexpected, so amazing, so romantic…

"Of course. Yes, yes of _course_," I gasped, and not even giving him time to get up, I sunk down across from him and kissed him. His mouth opened against mine, and I kissed him with a hunger and vigor that left me breathless. I loved him so much it hurt, loved him so much it made me question how I had ever lived without him in my life.

Memories of how we had come this far flashed vividly though my mind, each one more intense than the other. Returning to the ARC and reassuming my position, not leaving James's side at the infirmary after he was attacked by the predator, dancing with him at Whitehall and almost kissing him, holding his head in my lap as flames consumed his office, riding behind him on a horse, sleeping next to him in that old abandoned house in the 1800's, collapsing into his arms after Helen was shot, dancing with him at the nightclub, leaning across his deck and kissing him, laying on the ground with him staring up at they sky, our bodies tangling together as the tension between us finally snapped, losing him and then getting him back, finally admitting I loved him, countless other moments over the months…and now we were here.

When we broke apart, he slid the ring on my finger, and I stared down at it in amazement. I was getting married. To James, to the man I had somehow fallen in love with, to the man that had inadvertently taken my life and everything I thought I knew about love and turned it upside down. The man that completed the half of me I hadn't known was missing. I don't know how we had been sitting there in a peaceful silence before he finally helped me to my feet, and I pulled out my phone and dialed Sarah.

"Hello?" she said. It was followed by a small giggle and a "Becker, stop that!"

"Am I interrupting something?" I laughed.

She said "no" just as I heard Becker say "yes."

"Really, it's fine. What's up?" she asked.

"I have a favor to ask," I began with a smile, glancing down at my ring.

"What?"

'How would you feel about being a maid of honor?"

"For who?"

"Me," I said, laughing when she gave a little squeak of surprise.

"Congratulations!" she cried happily.

"Thank you. I'll, ah, let you and Becker get back to, um, whatever it is you were doing," I said, and suddenly the phone went dead. Becker must have hung it up.

"Wait until I tell Cutter," James mused, leaning against the railing of the peer and looking out over the now black water at the night sky.

I leaned against his side, and he wrapped his arm around my waist as we looked out at the dark sky. The diamond on my ring glimmered under the moonlight, and I gazed down at it in wonder. I thought back to when I had first been employed at the ARC, before I had left the first time. I hadn't thought I would be able to befriend James, let alone become engaged to him. Yet now, as I stood at his side, I didn't think I could live without him. I again looked down at the diamond sparkling on my finger, becoming lost in the complicated geometry of its facets.

"_So clear, like the diamond on your ring, cut to mirror your intentions." _~Dashboard Confessional

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**Author's Note:**

**Hi everyone! My apologies for the overly short, overly fluffy chapter! I just got internet installed on my new laptop and wanted to get something posted, so here it is. I originally intended on ending this fic at 25 chapters and then decided to make it 30, so your stuck with me for 5 more chapters lol. I probably would have stopped writing this story a long time ago had it not been for all the support, so thank you guys so much!**


	26. I'm Dreaming Out Loud

"_She's got it going on, dancing to her favorite song."_ ~American Hi-Fi

**Jenny's P.O.V.**

The next morning, I elatedly danced around the kitchen as I cooked to Jet's "She's a Genius," wearing one of James's dress shirts. I was acting like a giddy teenage girl and could care less. James was still in the shower, so I worked on cooking breakfast for us. I had taught him some very simple, very basic cooking over the past few months, but I still preferred handling anything flammable.

"Having fun?"

I turned around to see James walk in, looking at me amusedly. He was fully dressed for the day, looking dapper as always in a dark suit and pale blue tie. His arms were folded over his chest as he watched me, but he looked more amused than annoyed. Having someone in the house that was actually in a good mood once in a while seemed to have lightened him up some.

"Absolutely," I said, holding his plate out for him. He sat down at the table and I sat across from him, smiling when the fluorescents of the small kitchen caught my ring.

* * *

When we got to the ARC, Sarah immediately ran up to me, demanding details of the proposal. She drug me to her office, where Becker sat looking over some new history book. Joseph was holed up in a corner with his infamous book of dates.

"Wow, you're not in your office. That has to be a first," I said to him, sitting down at Sarah's desk with her.

"The window I usually sit in is cracked and it's pouring rain, so I'm staying in here while it's fixed," he said, turning one of the yellowed, parchment thin pages.

He looked more relaxed than usual, but that was probably just because he had a book. He was wearing his dress shirt and slacks, and his lab coat was hanging over the back of a chair in the office. He was wearing his black spectacle reading glasses, though they were slightly crooked. While he wasn't really my type, even I had to admit he was very attractive.

"Joseph, may I ask you a personal question?" I asked.

He looked over at me curiously. "Go ahead."

"You've worked here for a year now, yet we have never seen you with a girlfriend before," I said.

"Nick asked me that same question," he said, laying his book down on a nearby table.

"Actually, I was wondering if there was a reason we had never seen you with a _girl_friend…?" I said, lifting my eyebrows meaningfully.

"What do you mean?" he asked, oblivious to what I was implying.

"She's asking if you're straight, Joseph," Becker said bluntly.

"Good lord, of course I'm straight," he said exasperatedly, looking absolutely repulsed by the idea of preferring men to women.

"But why don't you date?" I asked.

"Because I prefer books and computers to people, mainly because they don't talk," he said, picking his book back up. He always got defensive when anyone asked about his personal life, though I could never figure out why.

"So, tell me about the proposal," Sarah said, turning towards me.

"It was so romantic. He took me out to the beach, and he proposed at the end of the peer," I told her, holding out the ring for her to see.

"Oh Jenny, it's _gorgeous_," she said, examining the beautiful diamond.

"Thank you, Sarah. I don't suppose you could help me plan the wedding?" I asked.

She squealed happily. "I would love to! Okay, first we should…"

I sat back and smiled as she began making her list.

**Lester's P.O.V.**

"What do you need?" Nick asked as he walked into my office after I paged him.

"I need to ask you something. Sit," I said, motioning to the chair across from my desk.

He sat down and looked at me questioningly. "Oh don't look at me like that, Cutter. I don't bite," I said.

"Well, what do you want?" he asked, motioning for me to continue.

"We're…acquaintances, are we not?" I began, fiddling with the pen in my hand.

"If you mean do I manage to refrain from killing you on a daily basis, then yeah, I guess we are," he said.

"Alright, in all seriousness, I suppose we're friends, yes?" I said, laying my pen down and leaning back in my chair. Apparently, I was going to have to cut straight to the chase. I didn't like admitting I was a friend of the headstrong, idiotic maverick, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

"Yes…" he said, brow furrowing. In the space of five seconds, he had gone from broody to extra broody. It had to be some kind of record.

"I have a favor to ask," I said, not at all liking saying the words out loud.

"A favor, huh?" he said, obviously enjoying the turn in conversation.

"Yes, a favor. First of all, I should inform you that Jenny and I are engaged," I said, amused by his surprised look.

"Who on earth would want to be stuck with you for their entire life?" he said, shaking his head. "How did you even keep the first wife around for as long as you did?"

I raised an eyebrow and looked at him meaningfully. "To put it delicately, it wasn't my endearing personality or charm that kept her around. It was more a matter of, ah…talent," I said.

He raised his eyebrows and shrugged in the universal gesture of "happens" and I laughed in spite of myself.

"Well, congratulations. So about that favor?" he prompted.

"I need you to be my best man," I finally said.

"You mean you want to me to stand beside you in some stuffy suit and watch you make eyes at Jenny?" he asked with a laugh, but I could tell from his eyes that he was only kidding.

"That is the general idea, yes," I nodded.

"Well, I'll have to check my planner and make sure I'm not busy…" he said teasingly, and I reached across the desk and smacked him on the back of the head.

"Okay, okay, fine. I'll be there," he laughed, pushing me back across to my side of the desk.

"Good. If you back out, I'll fire you."

"Sounds fair," he said, rising to his feet and leaving the office.

_Hmm, now if I could just talk Connor into being the flower girl… _I thought, folding my arms behind my head as I leaned back in my chair.

**Jenny's P.O.V.**

"I really like this blue color," I said as Sarah, Abby, Claudia and I shopped for the bridesmaids dresses a few days later. I held a flowing dark blue dress with an empire waist. It had small, white Swarovski crystals set into the waist, and they were also scattered throughout the rest of the gown.

"It's beautiful," Abby said, fingering the wispy material.

"Sarah, what do you think of this one for yours?" I said, holding up a dress of the same color, but it was halter necked instead of strapless. I had wanted something a little different from the bridesmaids dresses for the maid of honor, and Sarah loved the dress I was holding.

"It's perfect!" she said happily.

They were all three fitted, and I browsed accessories while one of the women in the small boutique got their measurements. She gave me a date when I could come and pick them up, and then we left the store to go get lunch. We sat at a small café, at one of the outside tables. It was chilly, but warming up a little. It was one of the rare days when it wasn't raining.

"This is so much fun," Claudia said, taking a sip of her tea.

"I know, it's such a nice break from monster hunting," Abby said.

"Agreed," Sarah nodded.

"I definitely agree with all of you. It's nice to just do something normal for once," I said as I flipped through the menu. And for the first time in a long time, we just did what normal young women did. We had lunch, and we went shopping downtown, and then we went home. Abby went home to Connor at their flat, Sarah was going home to call Becker, and I was going home to James.

"Have a nice time with the girls?" he asked when I walked in and dropped my purse on the table in the small entryway with the circular mirror above it.

"It was wonderful. Have you found your two groomsmen yet?" I asked, folding myself onto the couch next to him.

"Yes, James and Connor. I was actually quite offended when Connor said he wouldn't be the flower girl, but I settled for using him as a groomsmen," he shrugged.

"I suppose Elizabeth will be the flower girl, since Connor refused?" I said, lifting an eyebrow. He nodded, but seemed preoccupied.

"What's wrong?" I asked him.

"Nothing," he said quickly.

"James, what is wrong?" I demanded, turning him to face me.

"It's Sarah Marie. She's happy for us, but she still misses her mother. The two of you have become pretty close over these past couple of months, but she's still not too pleased," he admitted worriedly.

"I can't blame her for being skeptical. She doesn't want you to be hurt again," I reasoned, taking his hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"I suppose you're right," he said, laying the pen he'd been holding down on the coffee table.

I turned on the TV and began flipping through channels, finally stopping on _The Prince and Me. _I heard James sigh in exasperation, but it was one of my favorite romance movies. I normally don't go for chick flicks, but I love just about anything with Julia Stiles in it.

"He looks just like me," James said, staring at Soren, the prince's personal butler, who did in fact look scarily like James. I laughed, glancing between them. Wow. They were like twins. I happily leaned against his shoulder, and he only complained once throughout the whole movie, even thought that's not saying much given he fell asleep forty-five minutes in. After the movie went off, I turned off the TV and nudged James.

"You're going to be sore in the morning if you don't go to bed," I said.

He grumbled something unintelligible but still got to his feet and followed me to our room. He fell back asleep on the bed, still fully dressed with the exception of his shoes. I walked over and pulled his jacket and tie off, and he slept right through it. I changed into clothes to sleep in and then laid down next to him. I curled up against his back and fell right to sleep.

_"Don't let anyone wake me, I'm dreaming out loud." _~OneRepublic

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**Author's Note:**

**Hello again:-) That bit with Prince and Me is a bit of a joke, because Ben Miller plays Soren lol. This chapter is dedicated to Logan The Awesome, who even though is a Jenny/Danny fan, still reads and reviews. And of course thanks to everyone reading and reviewing, you guys are fantastic!**


	27. There's Not A Thing That I Would Change

_"All dressed in white, going to the church that night." _~Carrie Underwood

**Jenny's P.O.V.**

"I'm so nervous," I told Sarah as she helped me into my dress. This was it. The day of the wedding. I was trembling with nervousness, but she assured me there was nothing to worry about and no reason everything wouldn't go smoothly. I took a deep breath and told myself to relax.

"Don't worry about anything. It's going to be perfect," she said, and I nodded as she put my veil on me.

James and I were having an outdoor wedding in the gardens outside of the church I was getting ready in, and I knew he was only a few doors down the hall, with his best man and groomsmen helping him get ready. Abby handed me a sapphire and diamond anklet for something blue, and Claudia handed me a crystal hairpiece to hold my hair up into its upsweep for something new. We had decided that my father, who was walking me down the aisle of course, would be the "something old."

"Here's your something borrowed," Sarah said, holding out a white handkerchief that had belonged to her grandmother.

"Thank all of you so much. I can't tell you how much I appreciate this," I said.

**Lester's P.O.V.**

"Relax Lester," Connor laughed as I fastened my cuff links.

"I am fine," I said, very unconvincingly.

"Everything's going to be fine," Nick said, helping me straighten my jacket.

"Yeah, as long as Dad doesn't look in a mirror. He'd break it," James said, and I turned to glare at him.

"Look on the bright side, once we're done here then the wedding can get started. I'm sure Jenny will look beautiful," said Joseph, the walking personification of the voice of reason.

For the first time since I'd met him, he wasn't wearing a lab coat. Like the rest of the groomsmen, he wore a black tux. His black spectacles, since he didn't need them, were laid down on a table, and he looked surprisingly normal. Even though I'd had a hairdresser try to tame it, his black hair was still as distraught as ever. He took something out of his pocket and held it out, and I hesitantly took it.

"What is it?" I asked.

"It's a couple pieces of chocolate. Sugar always helps when I'm nervous," he shrugged.

"It's almost time," Connor grinned, looking at the clock excitedly.

I took a deep breath and looked in the mirror one last time before leaving the small room we'd been getting ready in. We got assembled outside, and soon Jenny was on the other end of the aisle. I almost had to struggle to breathe. She looked amazing. The white lace gown was strapless, with a full skirt, and I found myself mesmerized by the sight before me.

**Jenny's P.O.V.**

James and I went through our vows effortlessly, and when the minister finally said "You may now kiss the bride," my heart was thumping wildly and my stomach was doing the good kind of flip flops. With a surprising gentleness, James put his arms around me and kissed me, which only increased the rapid beating of my heart. I didn't want to let him go from my embrace even briefly, but I knew I had to.

At the reception, following the common tradition of having out first dance as husband and wife, he guided me across the floor of the ballroom we had rented out for the event to Trading Yesterday's "May I." I had my hand clasped with his and my other hand on his shoulder, and he swept me gracefully through the dance. It was ethereal, and perfect, and absolutely magical.

_The words I know pronounce you Jennifer Lester_ still ran through my head, and I smiled slightly at the memory of the minister saying those words. They sounded simply right, as if things were meant to be that way and it couldn't have possibly turned out differently. I could not possibly imagine being anywhere else, could not imagine loving anyone else.

An hour later, we were all dancing to Coldplay's "Fix You," a slow song but wonderful to dance to. Connor and Abby danced seemingly in their own little world, Stephen and Sarah Marie just stood with her arms wrapped around his neck as they swayed to the music, and Danny sat at a table with Rachel. Nick was dancing with Claudia held tenderly in his arms, and I absently noted that it may be their wedding we could all be attending next. Sarah was dancing with Becker, the latter looking completely out of his element without his gun.

"This is amazing," I said to James as we danced.

Instead of responding, he leaned over and caught my lips with his. I immediately slipped into his embrace, pressing my mouth against his and was surprised by the hunger with which he responded. We were standing in the center of a dance floor, but the entire world seemed to fade away as his arms went around my waist and pulled me closer.

Later, when I tossed by bouquet into the crowd, I laughed softly when it landed right in Sarah's hands. She gave Becker a hopeful look, and he simply raised an eyebrow at her.

* * *

"Where are we going?" I asked for the millionth time as James drove. He refused to tell me where he was taking me for the honeymoon, and he simply told me I would "find out soon" every time I asked.

"We're here," he said, and I looked around to see that we were at the airport. Confusion flickered through me, but that was quickly replaced by excitement. I had always wanted to travel somewhere foreign.

"I didn't pack anything," I said.

"We'll get you some clothes when we arrive," he said smoothly.

Not ten minutes later, we were boarding a plane, but he still wouldn't tell me where we were going. I slept off and on, once waking up with my head on his shoulder and once waking up to find my head cradled in his lap. I was happily comfortable in either position, and I again fell back asleep. It was an extremely long flight, or at least it felt like one.

"Jenny, love, we're here," he whispered, and my eyelids fluttered open. He brushed a lock of my hair out of my eyes and I felt anticipation start flowing through me again. We had finally arrived at his mystery place. I also couldn't fully repress a little smile at the way he called me "love."

"So, where are we?" I asked eagerly as we left the airport in a very expensive looking rented sports car.

We drove for a few minutes before he spoke. "Look to your left."

I turned and looked out the window, and felt my jaw drop. I was looking out at the Eiffel Tower. I gasped in surprise and then felt my face break into a smile. I had _always_ wanted to go to Paris.

"James, this is…_amazing_," I gasped, even though "amazing" seemed too weak and colorless of a word for the amazing sight before me.

"I remembered you mentioning once that you'd always wanted to go to France," he said, and I smiled and took his hand in mine.

I took a picture of us outside the Eiffel Tower, we ate lunch at a wonderful little café, he took me shopping for clothes to wear while we were here, he bought me a beautiful amethyst and silver bracelet at a jewelry store downtown, we ate dinner, and then we finally got to the hotel we'd be staying at. It was beautiful and very obviously expensive, and I gasped aloud when he showed us our room.

"I love it," I smiled.

"I figured you might," he said with a small smile.

"Oh I love this place. France is amazing," I said, laying my purse on the dresser and smiling at James when he took my coat for me. Such a gentleman, he was.

"Well, as of right now I am going to get a shower, and then maybe we can watch a movie or something," I said, pulling out some of the clothes I had bought and happily letting my mind stray to what the "or something" may or may not include.

As I wet my hair and reached back for the shampoo, I felt someone slip it into my hand. I gasped and turned around to find James standing behind me, and my pulse started picking up. One look at the desire in those ever changing eyes had my body reacting immediately.

"Would you like some help?" he asked quietly.

In response, I turned around with my back to him, and I then felt his fingers working the shampoo through my hair. He was standing so close to me that I could feel the heat of his skin against mine, and I shivered even under the hot water. He slowly rinsed my hair before turning me back around, and then I had my mouth on his. The kiss deepened rapidly, and I buried my fingers in his hair as he pushed me against the wall of the shower. I felt his tongue gently touch my lips, and I immediately opened my mouth to him. His body pressed hard against mine, and I couldn't fully repress a small gasp as he entered me.

Without letting go of me, he reached around and turned the water off, and then easily picked me up, his mouth still locked on mine. Only a few moments later, I felt my back hit a mattress, and I dropped my head back in ecstasy as he trailed slow, open mouthed kisses down my neck. My entire body felt flushed with heat that was not only caused by the hot water I'd just been standing under. I shuddered as he pressed his body harder against mine. Time slowly faded away, and I was more than happy to let it.

"I really ought to call Cutter and tell him to eat his heart out. I'll bet he hasn't gone at it with a woman for hours like that in years," James said, hours later.

I smacked his arm hard enough to make him wince. "If you say something even remotely that crude to anyone, I swear I will-"

"Relax, love. I was only kidding," he said, stroking my hair as he pulled my head back down onto his shoulder

"You better be," I smiled, tracing patterns on his chest with my index finger.

I couldn't help but notice how disheveled he looked, and it was quite a nice change from his usual immaculate appearance. His hair was tousled, and he wasn't his usual detached and overly composed self. I actually found myself liking this side of him very much. I was particularly fond of how his hair looked when it was all messy like that.

"Ah, Jenny?" he said, glancing down at me.

"Hmm?" I said absently, still half preoccupied with my thoughts.

"Why are staring at me?" he asked.

"Would you like the honest answer or the evasive one?" I asked, propping myself on one elbow to face him.

"The honest one."

"I think you look rather handsome like this," I told him, flicking a lock of his short brown hair from his eyes.

"Like what?"

"All…disheveled," I said.

"I am a mess right now and at no way at my best looking. Now if I had my comb and-"

"Shush, darling. I happen to like you just as you are right now," I said, laying back down next to him. As I drifted off to sleep, I knew that no matter which side of him, I would always love him just as he was.

"_When I see your face, there's not a thing that I would change. 'Cause you're amazing, just the way you are." _~Bruno Mars

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Sorry it took so long to update! I promise the next update will come sooner. And yes, I know that this chapter was very overly fluffy, but my fluff bunny wouldn't shut up, so I blame it for the terrible sappy chapter. Damn bunny. This chapter is dedicated to everyone that's read and reviewed, there is no way I would have come this far without you guys! Thanks again:-)**


	28. I'd Come For You

*****This chapter is inspired by Nickelback's "I'd Come For You."**

* * *

"_So if you're ever lost and find yourself all alone, I'd search forever just to bring you home."_ ~Nickelback

**Jenny's P.O.V.**

"Hey, look who's back," Sarah grinned as James and I walked into the ARC a week later.

"Yes, while we would have preferred staying in Paris, we knew we had to come home and play Buffy The Dinosaur Slayer," James said.

"Well it's good to have you back," Sarah said, giving me a quick hug.

"Great. If it isn't Daddy and his new sidekick," James The Second said as he walked in, staring at his father with contempt.

"She is not my sidekick. She is my _wife_," James corrected.

"Who cares?" his son retorted.

"While watching this profoundly strange version of father-son bonding is quite entertaining, I should probably inform you guys that we have an anomaly due to open in three hours," Joseph said withou sarcasm, walking into the main room holding his beloved book.

"Oh _yay_. More prehistoric friends to get my suit dirty," James complained.

"Hi Jenny," Abby said as she and Connor walked in.

"Hey you guys. Anything interesting happen while we were gone?" I asked.

"Actually, it's been pretty boring. Sometimes I think I miss having to chase the creatures around, it made life so much more interesting," she sighed.

"Oh yes, because dinosaur chasing is such a _terribly_ productive hobby," James said sarcastically.

Abby opened her mouth to retort, but James's mobile started ringing. He picked it up, and as the person on the other end started talking, the blood drained from his face, and a look of pure fear masked his eyes. His hand trembled slightly as he held the phone, and he muttered an almost inaudible "yes, thank you, goodbye," before hanging up.

"James darling what's wrong?" I asked immediately.

"It's Elizabeth. She's gone missing," he said shakily, and I slid his phone from his hand before he dropped it.

"How long has she been missing for?" I asked.

"That was Sarah Marie that called. She was over at my brother's house with Elizabeth, and Liz said she was just going for a walk. That was three hours ago, and Sarah Marie can't find her anywhere," he explained, taking deep breaths to calm himself down.

"Don't worry, we'll find her. I promise," I said, sliding his phone back into his pocket.

"Ah, Lester?" Connor said, staring at one of the screens of the A.D.D. as the alarm started shrieking.

"What?" he demanded sharply, but I could tell under the cold demeanor how frayed his nerves were.

"I just pulled this up to check, just in case, to make sure there weren't any anomalies near your house that this somehow hadn't picked up on, and we have a problem," he said, eyes still fixed on the screen.

"Which _is_?" James sad impatiently.

"We sealed an anomaly there three days ago, and it says here that it's reopened somehow, which is why the alarm is going off" Connor explained nervously, currently looking quite afraid of James. If I didn't know him well enough to know that under the fury he was terrified, I would've been afraid too.

"How is that possible? Is your little sealer thing not working?" he demanded, looking between Connor and the screen.

"It's the strength of the anomaly. It's the biggest one we've ever seen before. The power of the sealer wasn't quite enough to hold it closed apparently," he explained.

"Well round up the team and let's _go_!" James yelled, making Connor wince.

While Connor, Abby, Sarah, and James The Second went off the gather up the rest of the field team, I turned to James and took his hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. He didn't say anything, but I could tell how rigid he was and how absolutely scared he was. His daughter was missing, for god's sake.

"Let's go," Becker nodded as he walked in with Stephen and James The Second flanking him.

**Lester's P.O.V.**

As we drove out to my brother's house, my thoughts drifted away from me on their own accord. My mind played out painful memories, ones that made me realize just how much I had failed Elizabeth. Had I been around more, I could have protected her, could have warned her never to go through an anomaly. Because of my negligence, she could be seriously wounded or even dead. I was not an emotional person, nor was I a sentimental one, but she was my daughter. She was one of the only four people in the world that could make me vulnerable. The other three being James, Sarah Marie, and Jenny.

I closed my eyes to try to block out the painful onslaught of memories, but they only started coming faster. Suddenly, I felt as if it was twelve years ago again, and I was standing in a hospital room with my wife and my third child. My breathing hitched slightly as the flashback consumed me.

"She doesn't bite, James," my wife had laughed as I tried awkwardly to hold Elizabeth. I had already been through holding Sarah Marie and James after they had been born, but I hadn't gotten any better at doing it right. I was always so scared of dropping one of them.

"Hello Elizabeth," I had whispered softly to the small, crying baby I held. She looked just like me, with greenish brown eyes and the tiniest bit of brown hair.

Then the memories started progressing, and then it was months after she had been born, and I was remembering her first word being "daddy." I saw her on her first day of school, clinging to my leg and begging me not to leave her. I saw her at nine years old when her cat had died, and I'd had to stay with her until she fell asleep.

As the car came to a halt, it jolted me out of my reverie. I broke away from the memories and returned to reality, but my thoughts were still broken and fragmented as we started down the old walking trail behind my brother's house, the one leading to the anomaly.

"I found the anomaly!" Connor called from ahead of us, and I immediately ran to him.

I looked up at the enormous anomaly, finding its size quite overwhelming. Without thinking twice, I took off through it, ignoring the calls behind me. I felt my feet touch the ground, and when I looked around I saw that I was in a field. I didn't know which era I was in, and quite frankly didn't care. I began calling out for Elizabeth, repeating her name loudly until I became hoarse. The rest of the field team came through behind me, and we began the search for my daughter.

_Just hold on Lizzie. I'm coming for you, _I thought as we began walking forward into a world that wasn't our own.

**Elizabeth's P.O.V.**

"Daddy," I choked, trying and failing to raise my voice. I had heard him calling my name, but I couldn't call back to him. My voice was too weak and too hoarse.

I looked down at my leg, at the gruesome gash there. Blood soaked my left pants leg and the ground below me. All of this because I had been stupid and curious. I had overheard Sarah Marie talking to Stephen on the phone about whatever "anomalies" were, and I'd figured out that they were talking about one being nearby. Determined to find out what everyone was so bent on keeping from me, I had left the house to search for anything out of the ordinary.

Once I had found the bright, glittering sphere, I had walked up to it, only to trip and stumble though. I had fallen into a strange, alien world, and I had then been chased by a young looking creature I was just about positive was a raptor of some sort. I'd read about different species of dinosaurs, and I was apparently in a completely different era from my own. _And don't forget the fact you're on the verge of passing out from blood loss, _I thought to myself.

"_Elizabeth!" _I heard my father's voice cry out again.

_I'm so sorry Daddy. I'm sorry you had to follow me here. I'm sorry that I'll probably be dead by the time you find me. I'm so sorry… _I thought, trailing off in my head as the world faded to black around me.

**Lester's P.O.V.**

As we walked through a thicket of woods, I was suddenly coughing from the strong stench of blood. I looked around, wondering what smaller creature had been victimized by a larger predator and was lying in the bushes dying right now. I thought I heard raspy, choked breathing, too loud to belong to a small animal.

Moving so fast I almost tripped several times, I took off through the woods, following the sound of raspy breathing. I heard it get louder and louder, and the smell of blood was so strong I almost gagged. When I finally reached the source of the sound, I felt my pulse start thumping erratically at what lay in front of me.

Elizabeth.

She was unconscious and laying on the ground, a fast stream of blood continuing to pool under her. She was stark white, and her breathing was getting fainter by the second. I scooped her up into my arms and looked down at her, unable to believe what I was seeing. I could barely process the sight before me.

"I found her!" I yelled as I walked back into the open field.

"We have to get her to a doctor," Becker said, leading us back through the anomaly.

"There's no time, she's lost too much blood," I said, shaking my head.

"Lay her down," Joseph instructed.

I gently laid her down on the ground and held tightly to her cold, limp hand as Joseph cut away her left pants leg with a pair of scissors from his pocket and then began cleaning her up. He pulled a needle and thread from the inner pocket of his lab coat, and I shuddered when I realized what had to be done. He would have to stitch her up with what he had, it was the only way to save her.

His eyes became intensely focused as he began trying to staunch the bleeding. James handed him the tank top he'd been wearing, without once tearing his gaze from his wounded baby sister. Joseph's fingers flew rapidly as he stitched the wound, and we all waited for something to happen.

"I have the bleeding stopped, the wound is closed. I always hate telling people this, but now we wait," Joseph said, staring down at my daughter.

"Come on baby, you have to wake up," I whispered, brushing her hair from her face. All of my years of building a mask of cool detachment had long since shattered, but that was the last thing I cared about. I laid my hand over her heart, trying not to scream in fear and frustration at its faint beating.

"Daddy?" whispered a faint, rusty voice.

I looked down to see her eyelashes fluttering, and I felt my erratic pulse finally slow as I pulled her against me and wrapped my arms around her. She buried her face in my shoulder, and I could feel her trembling in my arms. As I rested my face in her hair, I silently vowed to never allow any harm to come to her ever again.

"_Here and now, this I vow. By now you know that I'd come for you, no one but you. Yes I'd come for you, but only if you told me to. I'd fight for you. I'd lie, it's true. Give my life for you." _~Nickelback

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Apologies for the overly sappy father/daughter fluff there. I was having writer's block when I wrote this, sorry for the positively awful chapter. The next two chapters are the conclusion to the fic, so if anyone has any ideas for a nice closing scene or any fluffy coupling scenes they would like in there, let me know. Also, I have started writing a Nick and Claudia fiction called Live Like You Were Dying if anyone would like to check it out. That is what I will be writing when I'm done writing this.**

**Enough of my babbling :-) Thank you to everyone that has read and reviewed!**


	29. Forever I Will Live For You

"_I've been sleeping a thousand years it seems, got to open my eyes to everything." _~Evanescence

**Joseph's P.O.V.**

"Good morning, sleeping beauty," I laughed softly as Elizabeth's eyes opened.

We were at the hospital, and she was waking up from the painkiller induced sleep she had been in for a couple of hours now. I hadn't left her side, wanting to make sure she was okay. It had taken half an hour to get Lester to leave, and even then he'd threatened to have me arrested if she wasn't okay. I wouldn't have had a problem with him staying had it not been for me needing room to work.

"Where am I?" she muttered, blinking against the harshness of the room's fluorescents.

"You're in the hospital," I told her.

"Oh that is just _swell_. I really, _really_ dislike hospitals," she said, glaring up at the ceiling.

"You'll be free to go in a couple of days, I just want to make sure that leg is mostly healed before you're released," I said.

"Where's Daddy?" she asked, looking around.

"He hasn't left your side. The only reason he isn't here now is because I had to ask him to leave so I could have room to work. I'll let him know you're awake," I said, sticking my head out the door and looking down at Lester, who sat on the floor with his back against the wall. I had gotten him to leave, but he obviously hadn't gone far. Jenny was sitting beside him, which wasn't a surprise. The two of them were practically joined at the hip.

"She's awake," I said, and I had barely gotten the sentence out when he shot to his feet and pushed past me into Elizabeth's room.

**Lester's P.O.V.**

"How are you feeling?" I asked as I sat down in the chair next to Liz.

"I've felt better, but it could have also been a lot worse," she said, staring at the IV in her arm with contempt. She and I shared a hatred of needles.

"You had me so worried," I said, taking her hand in both of mine. It felt tiny and fragile, almost breakable.

"I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't have started investigating, I really am sorry-"

"No, I'm sorry. Had I spent more time with you, had I warned you, this wouldn't have happened. I'm so sorry I haven't been there for you," I said.

"Daddy, you _have_ been there. You were there when Mom left, and when my cat died, and when I had the flu, and all the other times in between. I love you, and I wouldn't trade you for the world," she said.

I leaned over and carefully wrapped my arms around her, avoiding bumping into the IV and jostling her bad leg. She wound her thin, delicate arms around me and rested her head on my shoulder, and I again found myself unable to believe how close I had come to losing her.

"Now that I've seen it firsthand, will you tell me what the anomalies are?" she asked as I let her go.

I sighed, wishing I could avoid the inevitable conversation a little bit longer. "Now that you've seen the creatures for yourself, there's really no keeping it from you," I said, leaning my head back against the wall.

"Good, because I want to know," she said, her eyes holding the fiercely determined look that mine had held on so many occasions.

I looked over at her and said, "Alright, I'll start at the beginning…"

**Stephen's P.O.V.**

I walked over to Sarah Marie, who was staring out the window. We were in the waiting room of the hospital, and she was dying to see her little sister. Lester was with Elizabeth, but we at least knew that she would be okay thanks to Joseph. Sarah Marie's gaze was faraway, and I laid my hand on her shoulder and turned her to face me.

"She's going to be okay, you know," I said.

"I know. I was just so worried," she said, and I brushed a lock of long blond hair from her bright blue eyes.

"Actually, I was hoping we could talk," I began.

"Sure. Let's walk outside for a second, I need to stretch my legs," she said, and I followed her outside.

"What did you want to talk to me about?" she asked as we began walking.

"This isn't a subject I usually breach with girls…" I began with a sigh.

"What do you mean?" she asked, looking up at me.

"Well, to be honest, you're one of the first girls I've kept around for more than a night or two," I said, and she tossed her hair over her shoulder and glared at me, crossing her arms.

"So I am the rare exception to the rule that most girls are only one night stands? Gee thanks Stephen, I'm _flattered_," she spat sarcastically, looking angry and defensive.

"No, no, that isn't what I mean. Wow I'm getting off to a really bad start," I said, putting my hands in my pockets and taking a deep breath before starting again. "What I mean is that I care for you. A lot," I said uncomfortably. I don't like talking about my feelings, but I knew that she needed to know how I felt before I continued. "I wanted to give you something," I finally said, pulling it from my pocket.

"What?" she asked cautiously, arms still folded over her chest.

"This," I started, opening my hand so she could see thing ring that rested there, "is a promise ring. I would very much like for you to wear it."

She looked between me and the ring, seemingly fighting with conflict. I saw the side of her that was open and loving warring with her cautious, guarded side.

Finally, she smiled up at me and held out her hand. "Of course I'll wear it."

I grinned, gave her a quick kiss, and then slid the ring onto her finger.

"Just wait until we tell Daddy," she said with a smile, admiring her ring and seemingly oblivious of Lester's strong dislike of me.

"Yeah. Just wait until we tell Daddy," I muttered cynically under my breath.

**Sarah's P.O.V.**

I walked into my flat and flopped down on the couch, closing my eyes. The day had been exhausting. I felt a hand gently tuck a lock of hair behind my ear, and I glanced up to see Becker knelt down beside me.

"Hey," I smiled.

"I hope you don't mind me coming over, I just wanted to make sure you were alright," he said.

"Thanks for checking on me. I'm tired, but I'm fine," I said.

"Good. I would have been here sooner but I wanted to clean the fingerprints off of my gun. It was all dirty," he said distastefully, and I laughed softly. He loved that gun more than life itself, it would seem.

"So I was thinking about something," he began. He looked somewhat odd kneeling there with his rifle still strapped to his back, but it was the look on him I had come to love. I had never seen him wearing anything besides his skintight black clothes with his gun over his shoulder. I hardly objected, though. I quite enjoyed the close fitting clothing he wore.

"About what?" I asked, sitting up.

"It could have been you that almost died. And I wanted you to know something, because I couldn't possibly imagine something happening to you without you knowing it," he said awkwardly, his brown eyes full of emotion and conflict.

"What is it, Becker?" I asked.

"I wanted to say that…I…love you. I love you," he said, and I leaned forward and wrapped my arms tightly around his neck.

"I love you too," I smiled, resting my face against his shoulder.

I felt his arms circle me, and I leaned further into his embrace.

**Jenny's P.O.V.**

"I'm so glad Elizabeth is going to be alright," I said as James and I got out of the car.

Joseph had told us that Liz needed her rest, so we had left the hospital and James had brought me back to the beach, the same place that he'd proposed at. I had grown to love the place, especially because there usually weren't many people there. There was only a few people nearby as we walked out onto the sand with out fingers interlaced tightly.

"So am I," he nodded, and I held on to his shoulder for balance as I slid my high heels off.

A couple of minutes later, we were walking down the edge of the shore, with the water washing over our feet. I imagine we must have made quite the sight, seeing as I was in a blouse, pencil skirt, and blazer and he was in a suit, but we were both barefooted. I gazed up at him as we walked, smiling slightly. The sun was bright and vibrant, and he wore dark sunglasses to shield his eyes.

He looked over at me and tilted his glasses down, peering at me over the top of them. "You're staring at me again," he sighed exasperatedly, but there was no real frustration in it.

"I just think those glasses look good on you," I smiled.

"And I think you're delusional," he said with a faint smile of his own.

As we walked, the breeze lifted my hair and swept it around me, and I welcomed the rush of cool air. Besides the amazing scenery and the pleasure of being with James, I also loved the weather at the coast. It was always so cool and breezy. After we had walked for awhile, we sat down and just watched the water. Well, I was watching the water. From the corner of my eye, I saw that James was watching me.

"Jenny?" he murmured.

"Hmm?" I asked absently, removing myself from my thoughts, which had drifted away on their own accord.

"Am I the only one that wonders how this happened? When you first left the ARC, I was upset. Not only had I lost an important member of the team, but I myself missed you. Yet even then, I had never even considered marrying you. But now I can't consider anything besides how my life is right now. I can't picture it any other way," he said, his head tilted slightly.

"I agree. I hadn't thought of you as anything other than an employer and something of a friend, I hadn't even remotely considered the idea of falling in love with you. I am such a different person now," I said, leaned against his shoulder.

"And all of that considered, here we are," he said.

I nodded. "Here we are," I echoed.

"_Forever hold this heart that I will give to you, forever I will live for you." _~Skillet

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**Author's Note:**

**Hi, sorry it has taken awhile to update! I have a 30 day free trial of Sony Vegas and want to make the best of it, so I have been making videos and working on them a lot. The next chapter concludes the fiction, shockingly enough. LOL sometimes I still feel like I just started writing it. The beach scene with Jenny and Lester is inspired by an amazing manip drodgers89 made me, which you can find on my profile labled "Jenny and Lester Wedding Manip" or something to that effect. Anyways, thanks so much for reading, reviewing, and being awesome!**

**BTW I usually forget about putting disclaimers, but let me mention that if I owned Primeval that Becker would be shirtless in most scenes, Connor and Abby would be married, and Jenny and Lester would flirt constantly. Ah, how I wish I could talk the writers into letting me take over for a couple of episodes.**


	30. You've Been The Only Thing That's Right

**Jenny's P.O.V.**

"Where's this one, Joseph?" I asked as he walked into the main room holding the date book. By now we all knew that if he had his book in his hand that an anomaly was due to open up soon.

"That's the thing, it isn't here," he said, brooding down at the book he held open.

"Dr Noir, if you tell me that there is an anomaly due to open on Mars, then it can bloody stay there," James said as he came walking down the ramp from his office.

"No, I mean not it London. While an anomaly opening on Mars could be fascinating and there would be endless possibilities in the nature of studying the-"

"Shut up Dolittle. If you want to geek-babble with someone, go find Connor. Where the hell is the anomaly?" James The Second said, who had been leaning against a wall.

"According to this, oddly enough, it's in Peru," he said confusedly.

"Peru? As in the land of trees and bushes that are bound to get my suit dirty?" James complained.

"Yes, that one," Joseph replied, oblivious to James's sarcasm.

"Lovely. I don't think they make all terrain suits like they do vehicles," James sighed in annoyance.

"When is it due to open?" I asked.

"In four hours," Joseph said worriedly.

"Four hours? There's no way to make that kind of trip in that short of time," James The Second said.

"We have to fly out and seal it," Joseph replied.

"Really? Oh and here I was thinking we could just ask Mary Poppins to fly us in on her umbrella. Yes of course we're going to fly out and seal it, you idiot," James said dryly.

"There's no need to be snarky about it," Joseph said, closing his book.

"I have to work with all of you dimwits and chase dinosaurs for a living. I have earned snarky," James replied, turning around and going back up to his office.

"We'll go home and pack the necessities, and then I'll arrange our flight," I said, pulling my keys from my purse and walking outside.

James and I got home at about the same time, and I began mentally making a list of what I would need for the trip. Clothes, hairbrush, toothbrush, toothpaste, a book or two to read on the flight, and my laptop. I began throwing things into my suitcase, and when I walked over to the dresser to get my clothes, I found James poking through one of the drawers.

"You really should pack these," he said, pulling a particularly lacy set of undergarments out, which I took from his hand and then threw at him. He laughed as he deftly ducked out of the way, and I found myself laughing as well.

"What all are you packing?" I asked as I threw a few pairs of jeans into my suitcase.

"Several suits, matching ties, a hairbrush, a comb, all of the other random necessities in relation to personal hygiene, my computer, books to read on the flight, that odd little contraption Connor bought me - he called it an MP3 player, I believe, though I haven't got the faintest idea of how to use it-, and a spare comb," he listed off.

"MP3 players are for music, James. You use your computer to load music onto them and then you can listen to it whenever you like," I explained.

"Sounds terribly complicated," he replied.

"Not really. If you'd like to give me a list of what you listen to besides classical, I could put it on there for you," I offered, walking into the bathroom and tossing things into my suitcase.

"How do you even listen to this confounded thing? I don't see speakers," he said, holding up the small black MP3 player and studying it.

"That's what these are for," I laughed, sticking the small black ear buds in his ears and turning it on for him.

"These little things are extremely uncomfortable," he complained, pulling them out and dropping the MP3 player back in his suitcase. "I really do detest modern technology," he added absently.

"Then don't use it," I replied, zipping my suitcase. "Come on, let's go," I said, nodding towards the door.

**Lester's P.O.V.**

Halfway through the flight, Jenny fell asleep against my shoulder, and I was just about on the verge of falling asleep myself. I had again tried to figure out how to use that little music player thing, but that strange contraption puzzled me to no end. As my thoughts wandered, I reached up and stroked Jenny's hair as she slept. She unconsciously moved closer, burying her face in my shoulder.

At some point I must have fallen asleep as well, because the next time I opened my eyes, we were landing. I felt groggy and jetlagged, but I forced myself to wake up and tell Jenny we had arrived. She pried her eyes opened and reluctantly followed me off the plane when we were informed we could get off. I collected our luggage and we met up with the rest of the team, who all looked just as tired and off balance as I felt.

"It's in the jungle, near a set of ruins. We'll have to make some of the walk on foot, because the forest area gets too thick to navigate a car through. I hope everyone likes hiking," Connor explained.

"Do I look like the hiking type to you? The closest thing I've ever done is hike up a staircase in Whitehall," I muttered, pulling my comb from my pocket and brushing my hair back into place.

"Wow, sounds like a blast," James muttered as he came up beside me. His light brown hair, so similar to mine, was a tangled mess. I held out my comb, and he took it and began trying to restore some order to his messy hair. He and I shared a pickiness about our appearance.

"Are we ready to go?" Cutter asked, pulling a lock of straggly blond hair away from where it had stuck to his forehead. It was swelteringly hot, and I could feel a fine sheen of sweat gathering on my skin.

"Just please tell me the cars have air conditioning?" Connor said, his clothes already sticking to him with sweat.

"They do," Joseph nodded, who pulled his ever present lab coat off and hung it over his arm. Like Connor's clothes were sticking to him, the thin fabric of Joseph's dark blue dress shirt was clinging to his lean frame. The heat was awful, and I could hardly imagine trekking through the jungle in it. I was growing immensely uncomfortable under my dress shirt and suit jacket, and I longed for my air conditioned office back in London.

**Connor's P.O.V.**

"Abby, when we get home, I want my Star Trek DVD and a nice cup of tea," I said as we all made out way through the think foliage of the Peruvian jungle.

We had long since abandoned the SUVs, and we'd been walking on foot for at least four miles now. I glanced over at Lester, who looked downright awful. He'd abandoned his suit jacket, his hair was plastered against his scalp, and he looked like he was ready to collapse. Honestly, we all looked that way. None of us had complained, but we were all hot and dead tired. Becker, who was walking next to Sarah, even looked a little worse for the wear.

"I'll take a nice cup of tea myself," Abby nodded as I pulled a vine out of our way.

"You know, when I wanted to be in a crime busting gang as a kid, hiking through the jungle didn't really factor into my plans," I said, trying futilely to pull my hair from my forehead where it was stuck to me with sweat. Abby was flushed with heat, and her tank top was molded to her slender torso. Had I not been so worried about her, I would have stopped to appreciate the view.

"And when I started working with lizards, I didn't think I would end up chasing dinosaurs, but we can't always get what we want, huh?" she sighed.

"Alright, the anomaly should be nearby," I called out to Cutter, who was up front leading us. I saw his head move in a nod, and then I heard Jenny cry out a short little scream that sounded vaguely like the word "James."

"Oh god, someone get help," she said as she knelt down on the ground next to Lester, was laying on his back on the forest floor, bleeding profusely from his upper leg.

"What happened?" I demanded, my already thick British accent becoming more pronounced with worry. In spite of our different and severely conflicting personalities, he and I had become close friends.

"Something slashed his leg. It looked like some sort of big cat. I'm pretty sure we stumbled on its domain and it was defending its territory. It seemed to be going for the throat, but he jumped back out of the way," she explained as Joseph pulled his shirt off and began tearing it into strips. He wrapped the wound carefully to staunch the bleeding, but I could tell by the slight furrow of his brow that something was wrong.

"Whatever it was that cut him hit an artery," he said, pulling needle and thread from the lab coat he'd still been carrying over his arm. It seemed like he'd been stitching people up a lot lately.

"What exactly does that mean in terms of how bad the wound is?" Jenny asked, staring down in mortification at her bleeding, unconscious husband.

"It means even after I stitch it up I can't guarantee anything," Joseph replied.

"No, no…he can't die. Joseph you have to do something," Jenny cried out, shaking her head.

"I am doing everything I can. The blood came out so fast when he was first cut that even after getting the bleeding stopped he still may die of blood loss," he told her.

"Oh god, James…" she whispered, running her hand down the side of Lester's face.

Tears welled up in her eyes, and I was almost on the verge of crying with her. I had already lost Nick once, I couldn't bear to lose another friend I cared about. Even though Nick was back, losing him that first time had broken my heart. My breathing became constricted as memories flashed through my mind. I could barely believe that the bleeding man in front of me was the same person that had tossed me the keys to his flat three years ago when I had no where else to go and no one else that would take me in. The lyrics of a Jimmy Eat World song came to mind; _There's no one in town I know, you gave us some place to go. I never said thank you for that. I thought I might get one more chance. _

"Come on, you have to wake up," James The Second whispered as he sunk down on his knees next to his father. When Joseph said Lester's pulse was getting dangerously slow, I saw raw emotion take over the features of his son.

_"Dad!" _he cried, shaking him as if he could restart his pulse that way. Joseph pulled him off and warned him that jostling Lester would only make the wound bleed faster.

"James please wake up," Jenny said, clasping his limp hand.

Blood completely soaked the leg of his trousers and continued to pool under him, and I also fell to my knees next to him just as his own son had. Becker, Danny and Stephen were tracking the creature and Abby and Sarah had gone to seal the anomaly, but I felt like the entire realm of time and the whole space of the world had been narrowed down to this one tiny moment, and every person on the planet was holding their breath, waiting for Lester to wake up. The part that really killed me was that life would in fact go on. In spite of the man before me meaning the entire world to myself and several of the people next to me, the entire rest of the world could function just fine without him.

My love of music caused another lyric to come to mind, and the somberness of the song seemed all too fitting of the current situation. _All is lost, hope remains, and this war's not over_…I could hear the song as clearly in my head as I could if there was a set of speakers right next to me. Joseph had two fingers pressed to the side of Lester's neck and said that he couldn't detect a pulse. Jenny began sobbing, crying so hard she began gasping.

Tears began coming to my eyes as well, and I felt Abby - who had apparently returned from sealing the anomaly at some point - encircle me from behind in a tight embrace. Just when the bright fragment of hope in me began to shrivel and fade, Joseph looked up and said two simple words that brought that caused my eyes to snap to his in wonder and amazement.

"He's breathing."

**Jenny's P.O.V.**

Against all odds, James had woken up.

I would never forget the rush of emotion that had swept through me when Joseph had told us he was breathing again. I held tightly to James's hand as his eyes opened, and he glanced around in confusion.

"What happened?" he asked hoarsely.

"We ended up in the creature's territory and it thought it was defending itself, it attacked you. Had you not jumped back like you did you would have died," I whispered, tears again filling my eyes at the mere thought of it.

"You honestly thought you could get rid of me that easily?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Don't you ever scare me that way again," I smiled, squeezing his hand.

Cutter, who returned and informed us that the creature had gone back through the anomaly, said we should make camp here tonight and start the walk back to the cars in the morning. Joseph agreed that he didn't want to move James quite yet with the stitches being so fresh, so we began situating ourselves on the forest floor.

I lay next to James, and our fingers remained interlaced even as he fell back asleep. Joseph told me not to worry, that he needed his rest. I nodded and rested my head on James' shoulder, taking a deep breath. It had been too close of a call today. I had almost lost him. As that thought continued to haunt my mind, I took solace in the solidity of him lying next to me.

My mind wandered to when I had first returned to the ARC, not intending to again become a part of it yet still falling back into my old position. Before I had left the first time, I had begun developing feelings for Danny. When I had returned, I had become a completely different person that just didn't feel that way about him anymore. I cared about him, and we'd had a good thing going there for awhile, but I wasn't the same Jenny he'd known.

I lay on my back, staring up at the sky. The sun had set, and it had gone from blisteringly hot to frigidly cold. The temperature change was painfully drastic, but I reminded myself that we would be going home tomorrow. Back home, to London. To the ARC. Back where we belonged. The cold air bit into my skin, and I instinctively moved closer to James. I realized I had been wrong to think that the ARC was where I truly belonged. While it was my home, and my domain, I knew that belonged right where I was.

With James Lester, forever and always.

_"You've been the only thing that's right, in all I've done."_ ~Leona Lewis

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**Author's Note:**

**Thirty chapters and tons of amazing reviews later, it's done! I have no idea how much I can thank everyone that has reviewed and encouraged this fiction! I really couldn't decide who to dedicate it to, so this ending is dedicated to everyone that had ever reviewed. So thank you to drodgers89, Squabble, rattychipmunk, Logan the Awesome, Kathryn Hart, and CakeyxClickx.**

**Thanks again everyone! :D**


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